A.  SKETCH 


BY 


=  ev,    X 


HISTORY 


OF 


CROMWELL, 


A.  SKETCH 


BY 


MIDDLETOWN, 

CONSTITUTION  OFFICE. 

1880. 


PREFACE. 

The  basis  of  this  pamphlet  was  a  Centennial  Discourse  which  was  delivered 
in  the  Congregational  church  in  Cromwell,  July  16,  1876,  with  which  many  notes 
have  been  incorporated  and  an  Addenda  added,  containing  facts  of  historical 
value.  It  is  printed  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be  of  use  in  the  preservation 
of  facts  that  may  be  useful  in  the  future. 

Cromwell,  Conn.,  Jan.  8.  1880.  M.  S.   DUDLEY. 

c 


HISTORY  OF  CROMWELL, 


Dcut  8  :  2 — "  Thou  shall  remember  all 
the  way  which  the  Lord  thy  God  led  thee.1' 

From  time  immemorial  the  uplands  of 
this  part  of  the  Connecticut  Valley  have 
been  the  abiding  place  of  man. 

The  first  English  explorers,  in  passing 
up  and  down  the  river,  saw  upon  the  high 
ground,  not  far  from  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington Hnd  High  Streets  in  Middletown,  the 
Castle  of  Indian  Sachem  Sawheag,  chief  of 
a  tribe  who  occupied  the  surrounding  hills 
in  Maromas,  Durham,  Muldlefiekl,  West- 
field,  Cromwell,  Chatham  and  Portland, 
then  known  by  the  Indian  name  Matta- 
besett,  afterward  included  within  the  lim- 
its of  Middletown. 

In  the  Indian  Hill  Cemetery  rest  the 
ashes  of  I  know  not  how  many  generations 
of  our  red  hued  barbarian  predecessors. 

Then  the  hills  and  high  grounds  herea- 
bouts such  as  Prospect  Hill,  Timber  Hill — 
the  name  of  the  latter  is  a  memorial  of  its 
former  condition — Portland  Heights,  were 
all  heavily  wooded,  while  the  alluvial 
lands  alongside  the  Little  River,  and  the 
Connecticut  as  far  up  as  Wethers-field, 
were  low  and  swampy.  The  growth  of 
timber  \vasden*«e,  interspersed  with  a  thick 
and  tangled  undergrowth.  The  river  ran 
with  a  deeper  and  stronger  current  than  at 
present.  Its  channel  was  toll  throughout 
ihe  year.  Much  of  the  lowland  herea- 
bouts, since  drained  and  converted  into 
rich  productive  meadows,  was  either  dead 


swamp,  or  eo  wet  and  cold  as  to  have  no 
attractions  for  the  new  settlers.  The  high- 
er and  more  easily  cultivated  alluvial  of 
Wethersfield,  Hartford  and  Windsor  was 
more  attractive.  Chief  Sawheag  was  un- 
friendly to  the  white  strangers. 

These  two  reasons,  the  pre-occupancy 
of  this  region  by  unfriendly  Indians  and 
the  low  swampy  condition  of  the  alluvial, 
delayed  settlements  something  like  twenty 
years  or  more  after  the  regions  above  had 
been  occupied. 

This  is  the  first  picture  of  life  in  this 
section. 

TTIRST  SETTLEMENT. 

The  first  settlements  by  the  ancestors  of 
the  present  occupants  were  made  in  1650. 
This  date  is  pretty  sure.  There  may  have 
been  a  few  pioneers  two  or  three  years  ear- 
lier, but  this  present  year  of  1876  marks 
the  two  hundred  and  twenty-sixth  anni- 
versary of  the  white  man's  permanent  es- 
tablishment upon  these  lands  The  num- 
ber of  families  for  which  provision  was 
made  was  fifteen.  They  were  considera- 
bly increased  the  following  year,  and  in 
1670  amounted  to  fifty  two.  The  settle- 
ment commenced  on  the  Connecticut  River 
to  the  North  and  South  of  Little  River. 

Among  those  who  settled  North  of  Little 
River,  were  the  families  of  Kirby,  Martin, 
Kanney,  Sage,  Savage,  Stocking,  White 
and  Wilcox. 

The  following  is  Dr.  Field's  account  ot 
the  first  settlements  made  in  Cromwell, 


201246$ 


called  till  1851  Upper  Houses  or  Upper 
Middletown  :  "A  part  of  the  early  inhab- 
tants  settled  in  Upper  Houses,  and  almost 
all  these  erected  their  dwellings  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  village,  on  the  street 
midway  between  Middlesex  Turnpike  and 
the  River,  (now  called  Peasant  Street). 
These  were  Nathaniel  White,  Samuel 
Stocking,  George  Graves,  Robert  Webster, 
Joseph  Smith,  Daniel  Harris,  John  Mar- 
tin, John  Savage,  Thomas  Ranney,  David 
Sage  and  John  Kirby.  Between  the  upper 
and  lower  settlements  intercourse  was 
maintained  by  a  ferry  across  Little  Kiver." 

The  social  condition  of  the  early  settle- 
ments was  peculiar  and  is  au  interesting 
study.  As  shown  by  the  quotation  from 
Dr.  Field's  address  the  first  settlements  on 
these  lands  was  in  a  compact  village  com- 
munity. This  was  for  protection  and  so- 
cial advantages.  The  original  proprietors 
each  took  a  small  lot  at  the  center  for  a 
homestead.  They  then  divided  the  out- 
lying commons  into  larger  lots  or  farms 
and  distributed  thttn  at  various  times,  as 
the  lands  %vere  surveyed  and  occasion  de- 
manded. 

The  first  care  of  the  settlers  of  Middle- 
town  was  characteristic  of  our  Purilan  an- 
cestry. It  was  to  make  provision  for  the 
religious  wants  of  the  new  community. 
The  first  recorded  vote  is  in  regard  to  a 
new  meeting  house,  dated  Feb.  2«1,  1652. 
The  house  was  a  small  structure,  twenty 
feet  square  end  ten  feet  from  floor  to  ceil- 
ing. Jt  was  surrounded  by  palisades.  It 
stood  on  a  Common,  West  or  North- West 
of  the  old  English  Cemetery.  Its  site  is 
probably  somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Main  Street  bridge  over  the  Air  Line  rail- 
road. This  house  was  used  eighteen  years, 
and  gave  way  in  1680  to  another  edifice  a 
little  farther  South  on  the  East  side  of 
Main  Street,  about  opposite  Liberty  Street. 
This  location  was  chosen  with  a  view  to 
accommodating  the  worshippers  at  Upper 


Houses.  The  people  were  assembled  by 
the  beating  ot  a  drum,  which  also  called 
out  a  guard  of  soldiers,  never  less  than 
eight  men  and  a  sergeant,  to  keep  watch 
while  the  worshippers  were  at  their  devo- 
tions. 

The  method  of  assembling  the  people  for 
public  worship  by  the  use  of  the  drum  con- 
tinued long  after  the  necessity  of  a  milita- 
ry guard  was  passed.  It  was  the  practice 
in  this  place,  certainly  as  late  as  1730, 
eighty  six  years  after  the  fir*t  settlement. 

The  following  votes  from  the  records  of 
the  ''Upper  Houses"  Ecclesiastical  Socie- 
ty are  of  interest  as  referring  to  their 
custom,  and  showing  the  duties  of  the 
drummer  to  belong  to  the  sexton. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  ye  society  Feb.  15th, 
1715,  the  society  agreed  with  Sam  Stowe 
to  beate  the  drum  and  sweep  the  meeting 
house  tor  the  year  ensuing,  and  to  look 
after  the  doors,  for  one  pound,  five  shil- 
lings money,  or  as  mone>." 

At  a  meeting  held  Dec.  17th,  1724. 
"The  Society  agreed  to  give  Nathaniel 
Ranney  15  shillings  for  beating  the  drum. '' 
At  a  meeting  held  Dec.  Hth,  1735,  "The 
Society  agreed  to  give  Nathaniel  Ranney 
16  shillings  for  beating  the  drum  for  the 
year  ensuing,  if  he  can  be  obtained.  Other- 
wise the  committee  to  bire  one  as  cheap  as 
they  can  to  beale  the  drum  on  Sabbath 
days  and  other  days  of  public  meetings  in 
said  Society.'" 

These  entries  continue  year  after  year 
for  several  years,  probably  till  the  matter 
was  left  to  the  society's  committee  without 
a  record  of  the  vote  of  transfer.  The  beat- 
ing of  the  drum  continued  in  Upper  Houses 
for  a  period  of  eighty  years  at  least  after 
the  first  settlement.  Dr.  Field  says  sixty 
years.  There  is  a  record  of  a  vote  t>,ken 
Nov.  1st,  1736,  in  regard  to  collecting 
money  to  defray  the  expense  of  "beating 
the  drum  and  sweeping  the  meeting 
house." 


3 


From  the  discontinuance  of  beating  the 
drum  (some  time  during  the  Revolution  or 
soon  after)  till  the  present  bell  was  pur- 
chased iu  1843,  there  wa«  no  means  of 
summoning  the  people  to  public  worship. 

In  these  early  times  while  the  inhabit- 
itHnts  of  Lower  and  Upper  Middletown 
formed  one  ecclesiastical  society  the  people 
of  the  upper  village  were  obliged  to  go  to 
the  lower  village  for  public  worship. 

We  can  easily  imagine  a  cavalcade  of 
neighbors  tiding  down  the  river  banks. 
They  were  mounted  upon  their  steady 
going  farm  horses,  the  father  in  the  saddle, 
Hie  mother  upon  a  pillion  behind,  two 
children  in  front,  perhaps  a  third  in  the 
mother's  arms.  The  older  boys  and  girls  of 
the  settlement  would  walk  in  troops  along 
the  bridle  path.  We  see  these  companies 
awaiting  their  time  at  the  ferry  over  the 
Little  Rivc-r. 

In  the  winter  the  ride  across  the  meadow 
w<>uld  often  be  bleak.  The  wind  would 
cut  sharp  and  the  snow  would  chill  the 
feet.  But  there  would  be  not  even  a  half 
warmed  meeting  house  to  welcome  the 
frozen  worshippers.  It  was  sacrilege  to 
have  a  fire  in  the  house  of  God  in  those 
days.  It  was  not  to  he  thought  of.  The 
expeident  often  resorted  to  from  the  neces- 
sity ot  the  worshippers-was  the  erection 
of  small  huts  of  one  room  op  the  grounds 
about  the  house  of  worship.  These  were 
called  Sabba'  day  houses.  These  were 
generally  of  one  story,  sometimes  two,  in 
which  the  lower  one  vvas  for  the  horses. 
Each  of  the  well  to-do  families  had  its 
own  Sabba'  day  house.  The  single  apart- 
ment, perhaps  fifteen  feet  square,  was 
rudely  furnished  with  chairs  for  the  older 
people  and  benches  for  the  children.  There 
was  a  table  in  the  middle.  Upon  it  a 
Bible,  and  a  few  religious  books.  The 
room  was  provided  with  a  large  fire  place. 
Also  with  conveniences  for  frrnishing  a 
simple  repast  at  noon  time.  "  A  group  ot 


such  cabins,"  pays  Mr.  Abbott  in  his 
"  Revolutionary  Times,"  "  standing  about 
the  meeting  house,  added  not  a  little  to  the 
picturesqueness  of  the  spot,  and  their  use 
conduced  greatly  to  the  convenience  and 
comfort  of  the  Sabbath  worship,  especially 
in  winter.  The  family  able  to  keep  a  Sab- 
ba' house  drove  directly  thither  on  Sab- 
bath mornings,  warmed  themselves  up  by 
a  hot  fire  without,  and  quite  likely  by  a 
hot  drink  within."  Here  also  the  in- 
termission was  spent  with  due  regard  to 
the  wants  of  both  the  outer  and  the  inner 
man. 

There  are  traditions  of  such  houses 
owned  by  the  well-to-do  church  goers  of 
Upper  Houses  while  they  attended  worship 
at  Lower  Houses. 

From  recent  inquiries  I  think  it  very 
doubtful  whether  there  were  buildings  ex- 
clusively used  by  worshippers  on  the  Sab- 
bath. There  may  have  been  rooms  in  the 
buildings  and  shops  adjoining  the  church, 
to  which  the  people  resorted.  Such  was 
the  case  in  this  village  even  after  tne 
second  house  of  worship  vvas  erected.  A 
basement  in  a  dwelling  house,  standing  on 
the  site  now  occupied  by  the  Baptist 
Church,  known  as  "  The  Stow  Place," 
was  so  used. 

To  this  portraiture  ot  one  phase  of  our 
forefathers'  lite  there  is  not  time  to  add  a 
description  of  their  secular  aud  domestic 
affairs. 

The  period  under  review  must  confine 
me  pretty  closely  to  an  exclusive  summary 
of  the  religious  history  of  this  community. 

UPPER  MIDDLETOWN  PARISH. 

In  1703,  O.  S.-1704,  N.  S.— Jan.  18, 
the  town  "  agreed  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Upper  Houses  might  settle  a  minister  and 
build  a  meeting  house,  provided  they  set- 
tled a  minister  within  six  oral  most  twelve 
months  from  that  time."  IQ  May,  1704, 
a  new  parish  was  incorporated. 

This  parish  comprised  the  present   town 


of  Cromwell,  and,  till  1790,  the  East  street 
of  Wortbingtori,  now  East  Berlin. 

Its  population  was  probably  about   250. 

List  of  taxable  persons  in  North  Society, 
Middletown,  about  the  time  it  was  organ- 
ized as  an  Ecclesiastical  Society. 

Names.  List. 

James  Brown,  £  22.00 

Widow  Butler,  6.00 

Joseph  Butler,  13.10 

Nathaniel  Clark,  46.14 

Daniel  Clark,  65.10 

Serj.  Clark,  71.17 

John  Clark,  '46.00 

Isaac  Cornell,  24.00 

Joseph  Crowfoot,  18.00 

Samuel  Frary,  69.00 

Roger  Gibson,  45.10 

Samuel  Gibson,  72.00 

D.ivid  Hurlburt,  37.00 

John  Kirby,  30.00 

Samuel  Lucas,  35.00 

William  Mark,  2500 

Margaret  Ranney,  3.10 

Ebenezer  Ranney,  48  18 

Joseph  Ranney,  61.05 

John  Ranney,  30.05 

Thomas  Ranney,  120.15 

Widow  Ranney,  6.10 

Widow  Sage,  24,00 

Timothy  Sage,  79.05 

John  Sage,  150.00 

Capt.  John  Savage,  89.02 

Thomas  Savage,  41.10 

William  Savage,  73.00 

Hannah  Scovil,  27.10 

Mary  Scovil,  15.00 

John   Shepherd,        )  „ 
Edward  Shepherd,  $ 

Samuel  Shepherd,  21.00 

Daniel  Stocking,  59.05 

Samuel  Stow,  39.05 

Thomas  Stow,  Sr.,  42.00 

Thomas  Slow,  Jr.,  43.00 

John  Warner,  Sr.,  77.19 

John  Warner,  Jr.,  75.11 


Joseph  White,  85.00 

Ensign  White,  85.10 

John  White,  18.00 

Hugh  White,  42.00 

Daniel  White,  49.17 

Jacob  White,  88.00 

Israel  Wilcox,  148.05 

John  Wilcox,  57.05 

Francis  VVilcox,  59.05 

Samuel  Wilcox,  77.00 

Joseph  Whitmore,  44.00 

Total.  £2,586.03 

Whole  number  of  names,  50. 
Allowing  five  persons  to  each  tax  payer, 
we  bave  250  as  the    population    of    Upper 
Middlatown  Society. 

Estimated  population  in      1703,  250 

"      1850,          1,275 
"         '  •'      1860,          1,617 
"      1870,          1,856 
1870,    native   population,    1,358;     for- 
eign, 498. 

After  thfi  incorporation  of  the  Second 
Ecclesiastical  Society  of  Middletown,  its 
church  and  school  affairs  were  managed 
separately.  All  the  local  affairs  continued 
to  be  under  the  direction  of  the  town  of 
Middletown,  till  a  separate  township  was 
incorporated  in  1851. 

CHURCH  OF  UPPER  MIDDLETOWN. 

The  new  parish  did  not  comply  with  the 
conditions  of  the  old  society  in  immediate- 
ly settling  a  minister.  Not  till  'Jan.  5, 
1715,  was  a  church  of  twenty-three  mem  • 
bers  organized,  and  the  Rev.  Joseph  Smith 
settled  as  pastor.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  members  : 

Names. 

Capt.  John  Savage, 
Mrs.  John^Savage, 
Sergt.  Wm.  Savage, 
Mrs.  Wm.  Savage, 


Mr.  Thomas  Ranney, 
Mrs.  Thomas  Ranney, 
Mr.  John  Ranney, 
Mrs.  John  Ranney. 
Mr.  Joseph  Ranney, 


Xames. 

Widow  Nathaniel  White, 
Mr.  Joseph  White. 
Mrs.  Thomas  Stow.  Sr.. 
Mrs.  Daniel  White,  Sr., 


Mrs.  Joseph  White, 
Mrs.  Daniel  Clark, 
Mrs.  Jonathan  Warner, 
Mrs   Xathaniel  Savage, 
Widow  Shepard, 


Mrs.  Joseph  Ranney,       Samuel  Hall, 
Mr.  Samuel  Stow,  Samuel  Gibson. 

Mrs.  Samuel  Stow, 

Summary.  By  letter,  21  ;  profession,  2. 
Total,  23. 

AH  except  FI?11  and  Gibson  were  re- 
ceived from  the  old  .society  In  Middle 
town. 

Previous  to  the  time  ot  forming  a  church 
and  settling  a  pastor  a  house  of  worship 
had  boon  built  and  so  far  furnished  that  it 
could  be  occupied  for  preaching.  This 
house  stood  a  little  North-East  of  the  old 
cemetery.  Here  the  people  listened  to 
candidates,  oame  near  fixing  their  choice 
upon  several,  and.  at  last  made  a  decision 
in  favor  of  Mi.  Smith.  A  church  was  or- 
ganized upon  the  same  d:sy  that  the  first 
pastor  was  settled.  All  the  members  but 
I  wo  came  off  from  the  old  church,  which, 
alter  this  church  was  organized,  was  called 
the  South  Church.  'Ihe  first  officers  of 
this  church  beside  the  pastor  already 
mentioned  were  Sergt.  William  Savage, 
*nd  Serirt.  Samuel  Hall,  elected  deacons 
Feb.  10,  1715,  one  year  after  the  church 
was  org'iniztd. 

The  following  is  the  roll  of  deacons  who 
have  served  this  church  since  its  organiza- 
tion : 
Names.       Appointed.      Ceased  to       Remarks. 

Act. 

Sam'l  Hall,  Feb.  10,  1716  - 
W.  Savage,    "      "      "     Jan.  25,  1727  - 
S.  Stow,  —  Sept.  28,  1741  — 


J.  Wilcox,     - 

S  Gipson,     -- 


—  May  13,  1751    Died,  JE  68 
March  18,  1748       "       "  76 


S.  Shepherd,  Dec.  3,  1745  April  9,  1750  — 

I.  White,     Jan.  15,  1749  June  27,  1769  Died,  M  71 

W.  Savage,  —                              —  1774  "       "  74 

T.  Johnson,  Jan.  9,  1766  Dec.  2ti,  1774  "       "  56 

J.  Kirby,      Nov.  29  1770  Sept.  12,  1783  "       "  64 

S.  Sage,        Jan.  26,  1775   June  7,  1795  "       "  74 

T.  Gipson,    Jan.  14  1784  March  23  1810  Resigned. 

A.  Sage,      Feb.  22,  1790  March  23  1810  " 

J.  Huhbard,  Dec.  14  1807   Aug.  23  1808  Died  JE  63 

B.  Parmelee,  Mar.  23  1810  April  6  1822  Resigned. 
R.  Sage,            July.  1817  Mar.  13,  1836  Died  JE  19 
J.  R.  Wilcox,  Nov.  11  1822   Jan.  4  1839  Resigned. 
I.  Sage,          Oct.  29,  1826  Sept.  30,  1861  Died  JE  75 
R.  Warner,   Jan.  4,  1&39   Sept.  1,  1843  Resigned. 


J.  Stevens,  Sept.  I,  1843    Feb.  5, 1875 

G.  H.  Butler,  July  6,  1862  Acting. 

R.  B.  Savage,  April  30, 1875, 

Summary.  Died  in  office,  10;  resigned, 
6  ;  whole  number,  22. 

'Ihe  first  recorded  votes  dated  Jan.  13, 
1715,  were  upon  the  matter  of  church 
membership,  and  are  very  obscure.  I  am 
uncertain  about  their  meaning. 

'•It  was  voted  and  agreed  upon  that  re- 
latioiib  should  not  bt  a  binding  term  of  ad- 
mission into  this  church.  But  persons 
might  use  their  liberty  in  that  case." 

Doubtful  as  to  the  meaning  of  this  vote, 
I  referred  it  to  Ri-v.  Drs.  Bacon  and  Dex- 
ter,  and  received  the.  following  interesting 
leders  in  reply  : 

New  Haven,  Dec.  14,  1877. 
Rev.  M.S.Dudley.  Dear  Sir:— That 
imte  (ihe  first)  is  n.it  unlike  one  of  a  some- 
what l=Uer  date,  which  I  remember  on  the 
records  of  the  firsj  church  in  New  Haven. 
Our  churches  were  at  first  very  rigorous  in 
the  demand  that  a  candidate  for  admission 
I"  the  Lord's  table,  should  relate,  in  the 
healing  ot  the  church,  the  story  of  the 
work  of  peace  tin  his  sold.  That  story 
was  called  his  "relation."  The  Baptist 
churches,  I  believe,  retain  Ihe  usage  to  this 
day:  every  candidate  relates  the  story  ot 
his  "experience,"  and  the  word  "expe- 
rience "  is  sometimes  used  by  them  in  the 
same  sense  in  which  the  word  "  relation  " 
is  used  in  the  vote  which  puzzles  you.  The 
vote  means,  simply,  that  the  church  will 
no  longer  demand  of  every  candidate  for 
communion  a  formal  narrative  (written  or 
unwritten)  of  his  religious  experience,  but 
will  accept  any  satisfying  evidence  of  his 
Cnrislian  character. 

Yours  truly, 

LEONARD  BACON. 
Boston.  Dec.  14,  1877. 
My  Dear  Brother: — The   first    note,    to 
which  you  refer,  relates  to  the  fact  that  10 
the  eaily  days  of  New   England,   it    was 


usual  for  each  candidate  for  church  mem- 
bership to  write  and  read  before  the  chuich 
a  "  Relation  ''  of  his  or  her  Christian  ex- 
perience, after  which  (and  any  questions) 
the  vote  was  taken.  The  significance  of 
the  note  in  your  records  is  in  the  fact  that 
in  the  spreading  defection  which  resulted 
in  Unitarianism  such  "relations"  became 
unpopular,  and  many  churches  voted  to 
dispense  with  them.  I  have  seen  many 
such  in  manuscript.  It  would  be  strange 
if  you  should  uol  be  able  to  find  among 
your  old  church  papers  on  file,  some  which 
had  been  given  in  before  tins  note.  [The 
church  was  organized  Jan.  otn,  and  this 
note  was  passed  Jan.  13th,  1715.  D.] 
They  degenerated  into  a  mere  form,  being 
apparently,  substantially  copied  by  each 
new  applicant,  who  then  affixed  his  or  her 
name. 

The  second  note  refers  to  the  half-way 
covenant.  The  grandchildren  ot  the 
first  settlers  many  <>t  Ihem  grew  up 
out  of  the  church,  with  merely  thai, 
purely  technical  "covenant"  relation 
which  i hey  bad,  in  those  days,  in  virtue  of 
having  been  baptized.  When  they  married 
and  raised  children  as  they  were  not  them- 
selves in  full  membership,  they  could  not 
have  baptism  lor  their  cuildren.  As  a  con- 
sequence it  began  to  look  as  if  the  next  gen- 
eration would  be  very  largely  an  uobaptfzed 
one.  This  excited  great  solicitude  in  the 
minds  ot  the  people,  find  led  to  the  synod 
of  1662,  which  resulted  in  the  recommend- 
ation that  adult  parents  who  had  them- 
selves been  baptized  in  infancy  might  have 
baptism  for  their  children,  provided  they 
were  not  scandalous  in  their  lives  «nd 
made  assent  publically  to  the  doctrinal  Be- 
lief of  the  church.  This  was  called  "own- 
ing'the  covenant/'  It  led  to  the  introduc- 
tion into  such  churches,  as  assented  to  »IK. 
practiced  it,  of  two  sets  of  members,  full 
members  and- half-way  members,  who  had 
the  right  to  baptism  tor  themselves  and' 


their  children,  hut  had  not  the  right  to  the 
Lord's  Supper.  This  arrangement,  as  one 
might  easily  anticipate — looking  back  with 
our  light — was  admirably  calculated  to 
br  ug  in  Unitariauisin  and  other  ills,  and 
did  so  in  many  places  to  a  deplorable  de- 
gree. 

Faithfully  yours, 

HEXHY  M.  DEXTER. 

The  next  vote  on  the   records   to    which 
Dr.  Dexter  refers  was  as  follows  : 

"  It  was  voted  and  agreed  upon  by  the 
church  at  the  same  time,  that  persons  not 
scanddousand  of  competency  of  knowl- 
edge, should  have  the  seal  of  baptism  upon 
their  df sire,  they  owniug  the  covenant." 
The  church  in  itsearly  organization  had  two 
Covenants,  one  a  Baptismal  Covenant,  the 
other  a  Full  Communion  Covenant,  given 
below.  '1  he  use  of  these  two  Covenants 
continued  till  1805,  during  which  year  the 
last  ins-aiice  of  receiving  a  member  by  M 
renewal  of  Covenant  is  recorded,  and  was 
formally  given  up  about  18U9. 

The  First  Covenants  of  tin-    Church  and 
Confession  ol'Faiih. 

FULL  COMMUNION'  COVENANT. 

Do  you  in  the  presence  of  God,  his  holy 
angels,  and  ot  this  assembly,  seriously  and 
sincerely,  so  far  as  you  know  your  own 
heart,  this  day  vouch  the  Lord  Jehovah, 
the  only  living  and  true  God,  to  be  your 
God,  and  do  you  give  up  yourself  to  Him 
alone,  acknowledging  God  the  Father  to  Oe 
your  Father  and  Sovereign  ?  And  do  you 
jiive  up  yourself  unto  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  your  only  Saviour  and  Redeemer, 
your  Prophet,  Priest  and  King,  and  to  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God,  as  your  Sanctifier  j.nd 
Comforter  (  And  do  you  give  up  vourself 
to  the  Church  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
solemnly  promise,  by  ILs  gracious  assist- 
ance, to  walk  with  Him  and  His  Church  in 
ways  of  Holy  Communion  and  due  ob 
servation  of,  and  subjugation  to,  all  His 
holy  ordinances  according  to  His  will  re- 


vealed  in  Ili^  holy  word  ? 

Upon  the  Church  taking  the  person  ac- 
,  cepted  I,  (the  pastor),  say, 

I  now  promise  to  you  in  the  name  of  this 
(Jhnrch,  that  by  God's  gracious  assistance, 
we  will  walk  towards  you  in  all  brotherly 
love  and  holy  watchfulness  for  your  mu- 
tual succor  and  edification  in  the  Lord. 
And  I  declare  you  to  be  a  member  in  full, 
communion  with  the  Church  of  Christ,  and 
particularly  with  this  church. 

BAPTISMAL    COVENANT, 

Do  you  give -up  yourself  to  that  God 
alone  whose  name  is  Jehovah,  acknowl- 
edging Him  to  be  the  only  irue  and  living 
God,  and  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  your 
only  Saviour  and  Redeemer,  Prophet, 
Priest  and  King  and  only  mediator  of  the 
Covenant  of  Peace,  and  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
as  your  Comforter  and  Sanctifier?  And  do 
you  promise,  by  God's  gracious  assistance 
to  walk  in  newnet-s  of  life,  (as  they  are 
obliged  to  who  are  baptized)  and  that  you 
will  diligently  and  constantly,  as  you  have 
opportunity,  w?ut  on  God  in  the  use  of 
those  means  he  hath  appointed  for  your 
attaining  a  greater  degree  of  knowledge 
•and  more  clear  discover}'  of  the  duty  which 
is  incumbent  on  you,  and  do  you  subject 
and  submit  your.-elf  to  the  government  of 
Christ,  in  His  Church,  in  this  place,  and 
until  von  are  regularly  joined  in  full  com- 
munion with  this  or  some  other  Church  of 
Christ,  walking  according  to  the,  order  of 
the  Gospel  ? 

CONFESSION    USED    FOR    ADMITTING    TO     FULL 
COMMUNION. 

I  do  believe  there  is  one  God  ;  in  three 
persons;  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost. 

I  do  believe  in  God  the  Father,  Almighty 
Maker  ot  Heaven  and  earth  and  all  things 
that  arc  therein,  and  that  he  rules  and  gov- 
erns them  by  his  wisdom  and  power. 

I  do  believe  that  God  at  first  created  man 
lioly  and  upright,  hut  by  transgression  he 


is  miserably  fallen,  and  that  we  in  him  are 
fallen  under  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God. 

I  do  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  eternal  Son  of  God,  who  was  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Ghost,  horn  of  the  Vir- 
gin Mary,  dead  and  buried,  the  third  day 
he  arose  again  from  the  dead,  he  ascended 
into  Heaven  and  sitteth  on  the  right  hand 
of  God  the  Father.  From  thence,  he  shall 
come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead. 

I  do  believe  the  i^on  of  God  to  be  the 
mediator  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace  and  the 
only  Saviour  of  fallen  mankind,  who  has 
purchased  by  his  righteous  life  and  carnal 
suffering  and  death  all  that  sinners  need  to 
make  them  happy. 

I  do  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost  the  third 
person,  in  the  ever  blessed  Trinity  the 
Sanctifier  of  them  that  are  saved. 

I  do  believe  in  the  forgiveness  of  sins 
through  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  and  an  everlasting  life  of 
happiness  and  misery. 

Feeling  the  obligation  of  this  faith  upon 
my  heart,  I  desire  through  the  grace  of 
God  to  be  exercising  repentance  toward 
God  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  submit  myself  unto  Him  in  all  things, 
that  as  being  found  in  tne  way  of  my  duty, 
I  may  he  in  the  way  of  the  blessing,  and 
enjoy  communion  with  Him  in  His  holy 
ordinances,  that  I  may  be  built  up  by  Him 
unto  eternal  life. 

The  Baptismal  or  "  Half-way  "  Covenant 
did  not  entitle  those  who  took  it  to  the 
communion.  It  gave  them  the  privilege 
of  having  their  children  baptized.  This 
privilege  was  forfeited  if  at  any  time  the 
"  half-way  "  covenanters  were  guilty  of 
unchristian  conduct  and  could  only  be  re- 
stored by  confession  and  promise  of  amend- 
ment. The  "half-way"  covenanter  could  be 
received  to  full  communion  by  making  con 
fession  of  unchristian  conduct  and  accepting 
the  Full  Communion  Covenant.  The  act  of 
confessions  was  known  as  "rendering 


8 


Christian  satisfaction  for  sin."  In  popular 
parlance  it  was  called  "  walking  the  broad 
aisle,''  because  those  who  made  confession 
walked  into  the  broad  able  of  the  church 
while  the  minister  read  their  confessions. 
The  whole  number  of  cases  of  rendering 
satisfaction -for  offences  between  the  years 
1738  when  the  first  record  was  made  and 
1805,  was  one  hundred  and  sixty. 

The  Half-way  Covenant  was  repealed 
about  1809-10.  Rev.  Mr.  Williams  made 
its  discontinuance  a  condition  of  his  settle 
rnent  as  pastor  of  the  church.  On  the  7th 
of  March,  1810,  the  following  vote  was 
adopted : 

"Voted,  "That  the  former  practice  of 
requiring  a  public  confession  of  the  sin  of 
fornication  and  other  sins  on  admission  to 
the  Church,  be  abolished.'' 

Since  1810  (1810-1876)thenumberof  cases 
of  discipline  resulting  in  excommunication 
or  withdrawal  of  fellowship,  have  been 
fourteen  individual  cases  and  seventeen 
offences. 

LIST  OF  THE  PASTOKS  OF  THE  CIIVBCH. 

Joseph  Smith,  P.,  began  Jan.  5,  1715  ; 
ended  Sept.  8,  173*5.  Died. 

Edward  Eells,  P..  began  Sept.  6,  1738; 
ended  Oct.  12,  1776.  Died. 

Gershom  Buckley,  P.,  began  June  17, 
1778;  ended  July  7,  1808.  Resigned. 

Joshua  L.  Williams,  P.,  began  June  14, 
1809;  ended  Dec.  29,  1832:  Died. 

Zebnl-.n  Crocker,  P.,  began  May  2,  l>-33; 
ended  Nov.  14.  1847.  Died. 

George  A.  Bryan,  P.,  began  June  13, 
1849;  ended  Oct.  20,  1857.  Resigned. 

Janifs  A.  Clark,  P.,  began  June  1(5, 
1858;  ended  Dec.  2,  18(53.  Dismissed. 

Wm.  K.  Hall,  A.  P.,  iK-gan  March, 
1864;  ended  April  1,  1865. 

Horatio  O.  Ladd,  P..  began  Nov.  23, 
1865;  ended  Dec.  16,  1867.  Resigned. 

Thomas  M.  Milis,  A.  P.,  begun  1868; 
ended  1870. 


A.  C.  Hard,  A.  P.,  began  1871 ;  ended 
1873. 

Myron  S.  Dudley,  P.,  began  Feb.  25, 
1874. 

SUMMARY. 

Pastors,  9 

Acting  Pastors,  3 

Died  in  office,  4 

Resigned  and  dismissed,  5 

Whole  number,  12 

REV.  JOSEPH  SMITH,  FIRST  PASTOR. 

Rev.  Mr.  Smith's  pastorate  continued 
till  his  death,  Sept.  8,  1736.  The  records 
of  the  church  during  his  term  of  office  are 
very  incomplete.  Most  of  the  items  were 
collected  by  his  successor,  after  the  latter's 
settlement. 

cnrp.cn  BriLDixGS. 

The  meeting-house,  erected  when  the 
society  was  incorporated,  completed  and 
dedicated  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Smith's  settle- 
ment, served  the  wants  of  the  people  till 
1736.  Toward  the  close  of  that  year,  steps 
were  taken  toward  building  a  new  house. 
The  society  agreed  to  cut  timber  for  the 
house  "  the  latter  end  of  January  or  the 
beginning  of  February,"  1735.  The  house 
was  not  ready  to  raise  till  March  of  the 
following  year. 

The  raising  of  the  ponderous  timbers  of 
a  meeting  house  was  a  formidable  under- 
taking in  olden  tiuies. 

A  committee  on  raising  WHS  appointed. 
(Sergt.  Sheperd,  Hugh  White  and  John 
Warner).  The  parish  was  divided  into 
three  parts,  and  each  section  directed  to 
furnish  dinner  on  the  day  the  committee 
should  order.  The  people  were  to  furnish 
drinks  for  the  dinners,  but  the  society 
agreed  that  what  drinks  were  expended  in 
raising  the  meeting-house  should  be  borne 
by  the  society.  You  can  see  the  bottles 
and  jugs  passing  up  and  down,  alt  mating 
with  the  braces  and  pins  which  fastened 
the  timbers.  One  loosened  the  human,  as 
the  other  fastened  the  timber,  joints. 


0 


The  house  was  immediately  prepared  for 
occupancy,  though  not  entirely  finished  till 
some  years  later.  Il  was  fifty-five  feet  in 
length  and  thirty-six  feet  in  width.  It 
stood  on  Main  street,  ju«t  South  of  the 
present  Baptist  Chuicii.  At  first  U  was 
close  to  the  roadway,  so  that  the  people 
dismounted  immediately  upon  the  steps. 
In  181 3  it  wa_s  moved  hark  four  or  five 
ro;ls  hy  permission  of  the  County  Court. 
The  bass  wood  tree  now  standing  on  the 
Common  was  near  the  South-east  corner  <>f 
I  lie  building.  The  house  was  very  simple 
in  its  construction,  though  massive  in 
.frame.  Tnere  were  three  entrances,  one 
each  on  the  North,  East  and  South  sides, 
opening  directly  into  the  audience  loom 
•without  a  vestibule.  It  had  two  rows  of 
•windows.  Inside  there  was  a  gallery  on 
three  sides,  stairways  leading  to  it  not  in- 
c\  scd,  square  p.  ws  and  a  lofty  pulpit 
with  sounding  board  over  it.  Admit  1825 
(lie  inside  was  remodeled  by  closing  the 
North  and  South  entrance,  taking  a  vesti- 
1ml  -  from  (lie  East  side  of  the  audience 
r.iom  beneath  the  front  gallery,  and  re- 
placing the  squares  with  murow  pews  in 
the  center  of  the  house. 

This  hmis;  storvJ  till  the  present  edifice 
was  erected  in  1840,  at  an_  expense  of  six 
thousand  three  hundred-  eighty-five  dol- 
lars and  cighty-seVL'n  cents  ($0,383.87), 
and  dedicated, lac.  6,  1841. 

EDWAIM)  EE.U..s'  PASTORATE. 

Two  years  after  the  death  uf  Mr.  Smith, 
IJev.  Edward  Eells  was  iiit-talled  as  pastor, 
»Scpt.  <>,  1738,  and  served  (ill  his  dc.ith, 
Oct.  12.  177li.  During  the  pastorate  of 
Mr.  Eells,  a  committee,  somewhat  like  the 
present  siarjding committee,  was  appointed. 
The  first  notice  is  in  Nov.  28th,  1  7f>4.  On 
this  day  the  question  was  asked  whether 
Miere  should  not  be  a  prudential  commit- 
tee to  take  special  waich  of  the  brethren 
ri'id  children  of  the  church.  The  first  com- 
DUtee  w;;s  Francis  Wilcox,  Hugh  White, 


Dan.  Issue  White  and  John  Gibson.  "It 
was  voted  that  the  special  business  of  this 
committee  is  to  admonish  in  a  brotheily 
way  those  who  don't  walk  orderly  or  as 
becomes  the  Gospel,  and  those  who  are 
supposed  to  have  committed  any  offence. 
They  shall  with  a  spirit  of  meekness  and 
impartiality  endeavor  their  conviction  and 
attend  the  rules  of  the  Gospel  in  bringing 
such  eases  before  the  church,  when  it  can  t 
be  otherwise  remedied,  and  it  is  expected 
that  they  advise  with  their  minister  from 
time  to  lime  about  the  manner  and  method 
of  their  conduct."  This  committee  h.s 
been  continued  with  changes  of  its  duties 
from  time  to  time  through  a  period  of  more 
than  one  hundred  and  twenty  years 

It  is  thought  by  some  that  there  was  no 
standing  committee  during  the  pastorate  of 
Mr.  Williams.  It  was  revived  by  Mr. 
Crocker,  his  successor. 

Mr.  Eells  was  succeeded  in  June  17,  1778, 
by  Rev.  Gershom  Bulkley,  the  first  pastor 
win  did  not  die  in  office.  He  was  dis- 
missed in  1808. 

The  close  of  his  pastorate  marks  the  firtt 
period  in  the  history  of  this  church.  It 
was  a  period  of  somewhat  formal  church 
life.  Great  stress  was  laid  upon  some  sort 
of  connection  with  the  church.  Everybody 
must  be  l.apti/.ed.  One  was  hardly  fit  for 
any  civil  position  if  he  was  not  a  menihei 
of  the .  cliuich.  In  some •  cases  he  was  in- 
eligible. Great  emphasis  was  l.tid  upon  the 
conformity  of  the  out  \\ard  life  to  the  prir. 
ciples  of  the  Gospel  ;  not  so  much  upon 
the  spirituality  of  that  life. 

ThH  church  (hiring  this  peri<xl  shows  a 
slow  but  uniform  growth.  The  peiiod  of 
revivals  had  not  come.  The  average  annu- 
al additions  by  profession  and  renewal  of 
covenant  (profession,  3;  renewal,  (>;)  was 
nine  and  one-half  (Oi)  during  Mr.  Eells 
pastorate  of  38  years,  and  a  trirle  over  nine 
during  that  of  Mr.  Bulkley's,  of  28  uars, 
(profession,  2.5;  renewal,  6.5).  There 


10 


was  little  variation  in  the  reception  of 
these  members.  Not  one  year  passed  with- 
out receiving  members  either  by  full  con- 
fession or  renewal  of  covenant. 

I  here  insert  a  summary  of  additions  for 
this  period  and  down  to  date  (1876). 

ADDED  UNDER  JOSEPH  SMITH'S  PASTORATE. 

1715-1736.     21  years. 
By  Profession,  53 

"  Letter,  21 

Total,  74 

Average,  3  5. 

EDWARD  BELLS'  PASTORATE. 

1738-1776.     38  years. 
By  Profession, 
"  Renewal, 
"  Letter, 


By  Profession, 
"  Letter, 


116 

227 
17 

360 


Total, 
Average,  9.5  nearly. 

GERSHOM  BCLKLEY'S  PASTORATE. 
1778-1805.     28  years. 

By  Profession,  69 

"  Renewal,  176 

"  Letter,  11 

Total,  256 

Average,  9. 

J.'L.  WILLIAMS'  PASTORATE. 

1809-1832.     23  years. 
Hy  Profession,  210 

"  Letter,  21 

Total,  231 

Average,  10. 

z.  CROCKER'S  PASTORATE. 
1833-1847.     14  yean?. 
By  Profession,  95 

"  Letter,  49 

Total,  144 

Average,  10. 

GEORGE  A.  BRYAN'S  PASTORATE. 
1849-1857.     8  years. 


33 
34 

67 


Total, 
Average,  8. 
JAMES  A.  CLARK'S  PASTOKATE. 

1858  1863.     5  years. 
By  Profession,  47 

"  Letter,  l» 

Toial,  r>2 

Average.  12 

w.  K.  HALL'S  PASTOKATK. 

1864-1865.      I  year. 
By  Profession, 
"  Letter,  ° 

Total,  5 

Average,  5. 

H.  o.  LADD'S  PASTORATE. 

1865-1*67.     2  years. 
By  Profession, 

"  Letter,  ll 

Total,  34 

Average,  17. 

T.    M.  MILES'  PASTORATE. 

1868-1870.     2  years. 
By  Profession, 
"  Letter,  10 

Total,  20 

Average,  10. 

A.    C.    HUUD'S  PASTORATE. 

1871-1873.     2  years. 
By  Profession, 
"  Letter,  12 

Total,  22 

Average,  12. 
M.  s.  DUDLEY'S  PASTORATE.     (UNFINISHED.) 

1874-1876.     2  years. 
By  Profession,  9 

"  Letter,  12 


Total, 
Average,  10. 


21 


11 


AGGREGATE. 

By  Profession,  675 

"  Renewal,  403 

"  Letter,  213 

Total,  1,291 

Less  those  added  by  renewal,     403 

888 

Average  addition,  including  renewal?, 
8.12. 

Average  addition,  excluding  renewal?, 
5.9. 

This  is  for  159  (exactly  loSJ)  y<  ar?. 
Two  (2)  years,  1777  and  1800,  in  which 
there  was  no  record,  are  taken  out  of  the 
total  ot  161  years,  or  160^  exactly. 

It  must  lie  remembered  that  Rev.  J. 
Smith's  period  (1715-1736)  is  very  meager 
ly  reported. 

REVIVAL  PERIOD. 

The  period  which  follows  is  marked  sis 
the  period  of  revivals.  There  is  an  in- 
crease of  the  average  additions,  but  they 
are  very  unequally  distributed  through  the 
years.  During  Mr.  Williams'  pastora'e 
(1809-1832.  23  years)  210  were  received 
on  profession  of  faith  ;  110  of  these  were 
received  in  three  separate  years  (1818,  49  ; 
1827,  44:  1831,  27). 

During  Mr.  Crocker's- pastorate,  (1833- 
1847.  14  years)  ninety  five  were  receivid 
on  profession  ot  faith,  eighty-seven  during 
four  separate  years,  (1834,  15;  1837,  20; 
1841,  22;  1843,  30)  eight  during  the  re- 
maining ten  years.  Six  years  there  were 
r.o  additions  by  profession. 

In  the  pastorates  folio  wing  Mr.  Crocker's, 
there  is  more  evenness  in  the  annual  addi- 
tions. These  years  in  the  history  of  this 
church  correspond  to  the  period  of  the 
greatest  revival  activity  in  our  country. 
It  was  the  time  of  Nettleton,  (who  was 
here  in  the  winter  of  1817-18),  and  Finney 
and  their  co-laborers. 

Another  feature  is  noticeable  in  collating 


the  additions  to  this  church.  It  is  the  in- 
crease of  the  numbers  received  by  letter 
from  other  churches.  This  is  no  doubt 
due  to  the  frcauent  changes  in  the 
population  of  our  New  England  communi- 
ties. Wliim  and  necessity,  together  wiih 
the  easy  and  rapid  means  of  inter-commu- 
nication, are  fast  bivaking  up  the  ster.dy- 
goine  habits  of  the  people. 

During  Mr.  EelN'  pastorate  only  seven- 
teen were  received  by  letter;  (17  in  38 
yt-ars),  less  than  one  in  two  years. 

During  Mr.  Bulkley's,  elev<  n  in  twenty- 
eight  years. 

During  Mr.  Williams,  twenty-oi  e  in 
twenty-three  years. 

During  Mr.  Crocker's,  forty-nine  in  four- 
teen years. 

During  tar.  Brynn'p,  thirty-four  in  eight 
3'ears. 

A  careful  record  of  the  dismissions  from 
llrs  to  other  churches  would  show,  I  think, 
a  Corresponding  increase  in  the  migrations 
from  this  to  other  communities. 

REVOLUTIONARY    PERIOD. 

Returning  for  a  little  to  the  revolutionary 
period  of  our  history,  those  who  looked 
upon  our  town  and  the  adjacent  country, 
saw  a  great  improvement  upon  the  wild 
and  rugged  scenes  looked  upon  by  those  who 
succeeded  Sawheag  and  his  Indian  braves. 
John  Adams,  in  1771,  during  a  journey 
from  Boston  to  Philadelphia,  which  took 
fifteen  days  by  horseback,  struck  the  Con- 
necticut river  at  Enfii-ld.  As  he  passed 
down  the  river  through  Windsor,  Hart- 
ford and  Wethersfield  he  writes  :  "  This 
is  the  finest  ride  in  America,  I  believe. 
Nothing  can  exceed  the  beauty  and  fertility 
of  the  countiy. ''  But  the  finest  prospect 
of  all  still  awaited  him.  As  he  came  out 
upon  the  brow  of  Prospect  Hiil,  the  river 
with  its  meadows  of  surpassing  richness, 
Chatham,  Durham,  Westfield  Heights  and 
the  distant  mountains  lay  before  him. 


Even  the  cool  Adams'  blood  was  warmed, 
"  Middletown,  I  think,  is  the  most  beauti- 
ful of  all." 

A  few  years  later,  Dr.  Timothy  Dwight, 
President  of  Yale  College,  Sept,  1796, 
thus  describes  the  seencry  as  he  looked  up- 
on it  from  the  Southward.  "Immediately 
North  of  the  city,  lies  an  extensive  interval, 
through  which  runs  a  large  mill  stream. 
Beyond  i:,  a  distance  of  three  miles,  ap- 
pears in  full  view  on  the  Southern  declivi- 
ty of  a  fine  eminence,  the  handsome  vil- 
lage called  the  Upper  Houses. "  In  a  fw 
days  Dr.  Dwight  passed  through  this  fine 
village,  and  thus  describes  it  from  a  nearer 
point  of  view.  "  The  Parish,  called  Up- 
per Houses,  is  a  beautiful  tract  of  fertile 
land.  The  village  which  bears  this  name, 
and  contains  a  considerable  part  of  the  in- 
hatiitants,  is  a  thrifty  settlement  on  the 
Southern  declivity  of  a  beautiful  hill.  The 
houses,  about  eighty  in  number,  are  gener- 
ally well  built ;  and  the  whole  place  wears 
an  air  of  sprightliness  and  prosperity.  An 
advantageous  trade  is  carried  on  by  the  in- 
habitants ;  particularly  with- the  West  In- 
dies." 

PATRIOTISM  OF  TPPER  MIDDLETOWN". 

From  the  beginning  and  throughout  the 
period  of  the  Revolution,  Middletown  took 
a  warm  and  active  interest  in  I  he  struggle 
for  independence.  Her  sons  were  in  the 
earliest  struggles,  at  Ticonderoga,  at  Bun- 
ker Hill,  at  the  seige  of  Boston,  and  with 
Arnold  in  his  disastrous  Quebec  expedition. 
This  part  of  the  town,  so  far  as  the  records 
and  scanty  and  rapidly  fading  traditions 
have  aided  my  investigations,  shared  the 
patriotic  enthusiasm  and  bore  its  put  in 
the  struggle. 

I  give  the  names  of  thirty-seven  natives 
and  citizens  of  tliis  place  who  were  active- 
ly engaged  in  the  military  movement?. 
Miny  of  them  died  in  the  service. 

Asher  Belden.     A  pensioner. 


Samuel  Clark.  Baptized  May  22,  174:J. 
Private. 

Nathan  Edwards.  Baptized  Nov.  14. 
1742.  Private.  Died  in  prison  in  Mew 
York. 

David  Edwards.  A  Trooper  in  the  Can- 
ada expedition. 

Churchill  Edwards. 

Edward  Eells.  Baptized  Aus.  10,  1741. 
Captain.  Major.  Family  helped  by  the 
town  during  the  term  of  his  service. 

Samuel  Eells.  Baptized  Jan.  13,  1744. 
Captain.  At  lime  of  entering  service  w;:s 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  in 
North  Branford.  Moved  by  an  earne-t 
appeal  from  General  Washington,  he  un_red 
his  people  to  rally  for  the  country's  defence 
one  Sabbath  morning.  At  the  close  of  the 
day's  services,  he  took  command  of  a  com- 
pany of  sixty  men  and  went  to  New  York. 

John  Hands.  A  wheelwright  in  the  Rev- 
olution. 

Abijah  Kirby.  Private.  Died  July  22, 
1782,  in  prison  in  New  York. 

John  Pratt.  Born  in  Hartford.  Cap'ain 
in  the  Revolution. 

Joseph  Ranney.  Private.  Died  in  prison 
in  New  York  on  or  before  July  22.  1782. 

John  Robinson.  Killed  at  Norwalk, 
1779. 

Comfort  Sage*.  Son  of  J^benezer,  grand- 
son of  John,  of  numerous  posterity  ( 18!)  at 
the  time  of  h\<  death).  Captain.  Colonel. 
(General  of  Militia).  A  citizen  of  Middlr- 
town,  and  a  member  of  the  North  Church 
after  his  reiurn  from  the  war. 

Na'h.iiiSag-.  Sou  of  Amos.  Baptized 
Aug.  2o.  17-V2  Renewed  Baptismal  Cov- 
enant Nov.  21,  177:!.  In  the  privateering 
servicv,  then  the  U.  S.  Xavv.  While  UK; 
British  were  blockading  New  York,  S-ige, 
ai  Captain  on  a  vessel,  ran  a  cargo  of  pow- 
d  -r  into  port  after  a  sharp  race  with  two. 
B.-it:sh  cruiser-.  Was  received  by  Con- 
gr(s;  then  in  session  in  >iew  York.  After 


13 


the  war  Captain  Sage  was  appointed  Col- 
lector of  the  Port  of  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  which 
position  he  held  till  his  death,  about  1833, 
eighty-four  years  old. 

Elisha  Sage.  Son  of  Amos.  Baptized 
Aug. -17,  1755.  Private. 

William  Sage.  Son  of  Amos.  Baptized 
Jan.  il,  1749.  In  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 
Captain. 

Epaphras  Sage.  Baptized  Oct.  16, 1757. 
Private.  After  the  war,  was  Ensign, 
Lieutenant  and  Captain  of  the  Militia.  Died 
May  28,  1834,  aged  77. 

Ma'thew  Sage.     Killed  in  battle  in  1776. 

Benjamin  Sage.  With  Arnold  in  the 
Quebec  campaign. 

Simeon  Sage.  Son  of  Dea.  Solomon 
Sage.  Three  yean-  in  the  service. 

David  Sage,  Jr.  Died  from  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Quebec,  1776. 

Daniel  Sage.  With  Arnold  in  the  Que- 
bec campaign. 

Hosea  Sage.  Died  in  service  in  1781,  at 
West  Point. 

Abijah  Savage.  Baptized  July  24,  1744. 
Served  as  Society's  Committee  in  1773. 
Was  among  the  first  to  take  up  arms. 
Served  as  Lieutenant,  commanding  a  com- 
pany with  Arnold  in  his  expedition  through 
Maine  to  Quebec.  Brandige,  of  Berlin,  a 
Privale  in  his  company.  -used  to  tell  Justus 
Stocking,  my  informant,  that  "No  man 
possessed  more  capacity  and  endurance  in 
getting  supplies  and  in  pushing  forward  the 
expedition."  He  became  Captain  later  in 
the  service.  His  family  was  helped  by  the 
town  during  the  time  of  his  service.  After 
his  return,  Captain  Savage  repeatedly  acted 
as  Moderator  of  the  Society's  meetings, 
nnd  represented  the  town  in  the  Legcsla- 
ture. 

Josiah  Savage.  Born  Feb.  1760.  Bap- 
tized Jan.  11,  1761  Was  very  young,  17 
years  old,  when  enlisted  in  1777,  taking 
the  place  of  an  older  brother,  who  was  fee- 
ble. 

Nathaniel  Savage.     Born  in  1745.    Bap- 


tized Oct.  27,  1745.  In  the  privateer  ser 
vice.  He  died  Nov.  11,  1823,  79  years 
old.  Mr.  Savage  was  at  one  time  a  cap- 
tive on  board  of  a  British  Prison  Ship. 
During  a  remarkably  cold  season,  when 
the  Long  Island  Sound  WHS  frozi-n  over.  he 
escaped  trom  a  cabin  window  of  the  ship 
and  made  his  way  out  of  the  British  territo- 
ry upon  the  ice. 

Caleb  Sheldon.  A  pensioner.  Moved 
soon  after  the  war  to  Northern  Vermont. 

James  Smith.  Captain.  Dierl  in  prison 
in  New  York.  Heard  of  death  Feb.  20, 
1780.  Captain  Smith  served  as  Collector 
of  the  Socirty  in  1775.  In  November  of 
that  year  he  was  released  from  iliat  office. 

Samuel  Smith.  Died  in  prison  in  New 
York.  Heard  of  death  July  7,  1780. 

Nathaniel  Stocking.  Died  in  prison  in 
New  York. 

James  Stocking.  Died  in  prison  in  New 
York.  The  date  is  about  June  4,  1782. 

Samuel  Stow.  Baptized  Aug.  18,  1745. 
Renewed  Baptismal  Covenant  July  10, 
1769.  A  Seaman.  Served  as  privaUer. 
Killed  April  12,  1780.  A  singular  story  is 
told  in  connection  witn  Mr.  Stow's  death. 
A  son  of  Mr.  Stow,  a  mere  child,  was 
playing  in  the  yard  of  the  house,  standing 
just  on  the  other  side  of  the  street  from  the 
Congregational  Church,  a  little  North  per- 
haps. His  lieart  was  as  full  of  the  joy  of 
Spring  and  the  love  of  life  as  would  be  the  ; 
heart  of  any  boy  of  1 3-day,  when  he  sud- 
denly rushed  into  the  house,  exclaiming 
"  Mania,  the  red  coats  have  killed  papa,  I 
saw  it."  The  time  was  noted.  Subsequent 
news  confirmed  the  boy's  vi.-ion.  This 
event  caused  a  great  sensation.  It  seems 
to  be  a  well  authenticated  tradition.  A 
descendant  of  the  Stow  family  is  my 
authority. 

Jonathan  Stow  Baptized  1748.  Pri- 
vate. Early  in  the  service.  Took  part  in 
the  seige  »l  Boston  in  177">. 

Hugh  White.  Born  Jan.  25,  1733. 
Served  as  Collector  of  the  Society  and  Mod- 


14 


erator  of  the  Society's  meetings.  Comtnis- 
saty  during  the  Revolutionary  War.  In 
1784  left  Upper  Houses  for  Central  New 
York,  just  west  of  Utica,  A  lar^e  section 
was  called  Whitestown.  This  s-ction  in- 
cluded all  of  New  York  State  West  of  a 
line  running  North  and  South  through  Uti 
ca.  In  1792  this  section  contained  6,000 
inhabitants.  Judge  White  lived  to  see  it 
containing  over  300,000.  He  was  Judge 
of  Herkimer  County  and  Oneida  County. 
He  died  April  16,  1812,  aged  79. 

Reuben  White.  Born  March  10,  1765. 
Died  in  prison  in  New  York  City,  about 
June,  1783. 

A?a  Wilcox.  Heard  of  death  at  West 
Point,  Sept.  30,  1781. 

Eliphalet  Wilcox.  Born  1761.  Bap- 
tized Sept.  1761.  APrivateer.  DiedMay 
24,  1839,  aged  78. 

Amos  Wilcox.  Baptized  Oct.  23,  1757. 
Was  pr  sent  at  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne, 
Oct.  17,  1777. 

There  is  soirut  uncertainty  in  regard  to 
the  parish  in  Middletown  to  which  some  of 
the  above  named  belonged.  Nathaniel 
Stocking  and  James  Stocking  may  have  be- 
longed to  what  is  now  called  Cobalt  or 
Middle  Haddasn.  General  Comfort  Sage 
was  probably  never  a  resilient  in  Upper 
Middletown  Society.  The  opinion  is  that 
Ebenezer,  Ms  father,  moved  to  the  city 
early  in  life.  Abner  Sage  \e  thought  to 
l.ave  belonged  to  Portland. 

After  reading  of  so  many  as>  having  died 
in  New  York  prisons,  we  are  prepared  lo 
accept  tile  following  account  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  American  prisoners.  It  is  from  a 
letter  of  a  "  prisoner  of  distinction,"  a  na- 
tive ot  Connecticut,  dated  New  York, 
Dec.  26,  1776  : 

'•The  distress  of  the  prisoners  cannot  be 
communicated  by  words.  Twenty  or  thir- 
ty die  every  daj';  they  lie  in  heaps  un- 
buried.  What  numbers  of  my  countrymen 
have  died  by  eolfl  and  hunger,  perished  for 


the  want  of  the  ncces-aries  of  life.     I  have 
seen  it." 

Samuel  Clark  stated  to  the  Assembly 
that  he  was  one  of  the  unfortunate  men 
taken  at  Fort  Washington  and  confined  in 
New  York  until  December,  1776,  and  then 
with  others,  nearly  dead,  liberated  on  pa- 
role. Could  not  some  of  the  soldiers  of 
the  Civil  War  repeat  these  words  in  de- 
scribing their  experience  in  Southern 
prisons. 

Among  the  familv  names  represented  are 
those  of  Edwards,  Eel  IP,  Kirby,  Ranney, 
Sage,  Savage,  Sheldon,  Smith,  Stow, 
White,  Wilcox,  Hands  and  Pratt.  Eight 
of  these  died  in  New  York  prisons.  Fur- 
ther investigation  might  add  to  the  Rev- 
olutionary Roll  of  Honor. 

The  difficulty  of  completing  this  Jistsug 
gested  the  desirableness  of  making  a  Roll  of 
Honor  for  the  Civil  War  while  its  mem- 
ories were  fresh.  For  this  purpose  a  Com- 
mittee wat  appointed  by  the  town  in 
the  Fall  of  1876,  to  prepare  a  list  of  the 
citizens  of  this  town  who  participated  in 
the  Civil  W'ir— 1861-1865.  Messrs.  Ralph 
B.  Savage,  Elisha  Sage  and  David  Edwards 
were  this  committee.  They  made  an  in- 
teresting report  at  the  next  annual  meet- 
ing, embodying  the  roll  of  soldiers  and 
many  other  interesting  historical  facts. 
The  report  was  accepted  and  ordered  to  be 
entered  upon  the  town  records.  This  list 
will  be  given  further  on. 

MEMBERSHIP  OF  THE    CHURCH. 

Resuming  the  religious  hi.-tory  of  thij 
community,  there  have  been  connected 
with  this  church,  as  shown  by  the  records, 
quite  full  except  for  the  first  twenty  one 
years,  by  profession  of  faith,  by  rene-val  of 
covenant,  and  by  letter,  the  total  number 
of  one  thousaud  two  hundred  and  ninety- 
one  (1,291),  distributed  as  follows: — By 
profession,  MX  hundred  and  seventy-five; 
by  renewal  of  covenant,  tour  hundred  and 
three  ;  by  letter,  two  hundred  and  thirteen. 


15 


The  total  membership,  beside  renewals,  has 
reached  eight  hundred  and  eighty  eight 
July  4th,  1876.  The  average  additions 
tor  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine  year? — this 
excludes  two  years  in  which  there  were  no 
records  from  the  whole  period  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-one  years — is  8. 12.  Exclu- 
ding renewals  the  average  is  5.9,  almost 
six. 

The  review  is  hopeful.  The  late  years 
of  the  church  are  better  than  the  former. 
There  has  been  a  pretty  uniform  increase 
in  the  average  of  additions.  The  facts  do 
not  confirm  the  croakings  of  those  who  de- 
cry the  present  as  compared  with  the  past. 
There  is  in  almost  every  life  a  period  of 
halcyon  days,  when  scenes  and  events 
assume  a  brightness  and  prosperity  they 
never  had  before  and  never  equal  afterward. 
The  light  that  is  about  them  "  is  the  light 
that  never  was  on  sea  or  land." 

"  If  all  was  good  and  fair  we  met 
This  earth  had  been  the  Pa7-adise 
It  never  looked  to  human  eyes 

Since  Adam  left  his  garden  yet. 

And  is  it  that  the  haze  of  grief 

Makes  former  gladness  loom  so  great? 
The  lowness  of  the  present  state 

That  sets  the  past  hi  this  relief  ? 

Or  that  the  past  will  always  win 
A  glory  from  its  being  far; 
And  orb  into  the  perfect  star 

\Ve  saw  not  when  we  nlbved  therein  ?  " 

Yet  in  this  matter  ot  growth  and  broad- 
ening activities  this  church  has  no  ground 
of  boasting.  It  only  moves  in  the  current 
of  deepening  life  and  widening  influence  that 
bears  onward  the  whole  church  of  Christ 
of  whatever  name. 

The  enlargement  of  the  activities  of  this 
church,  the  next  point  of  attention,  is  only 
an  illustration  of  a  wide  spread  awakening. 

The  earl}'  part  of  this  century  marked  a 
period  of  profound  religious  awakening. 
Men  awoke  to  a  deeper  consciousness  of 
sin.  Dr.  Edwards,  Dr.  Eminons,  and  Dr. 
Nettleton,  had  sown  seed  and  were  sowing 
seed  that  was  striking  deep  roots  into  the 


hearts  and  consciences  of  the  American 
church  and  people.  Powerful  religious 
awakenings  were  the  result.  This  church 
shared  in  these  movements.  It  has  had  re 
vivals  at  frequent  intervals  down  to  the 
present  time. 

Following   these   awakenings  there 


has 


been  increased  interest  and  activity 
ligious  and  evangelistic  work. 


THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL. 

From  very  early  times  the  Assembly's 
Catechism  was  taught  in  the  District 
Schools  in  this  State.  The  time  for  reci- 
tation was  upon  Saturday  noon,  as  the  clos- 
ing exercise  of  the  week.  After  there 
were  other  denominations  than  those  who 
accepted  the  Assembly's  Catechism,  and 
before  the  establishment  of  Sunday  Schools, 
each  denomination  used  in  the  Day  School 
a  Catechism  to  meet  its  peculiar  views. 
This  practice  would  of  course  lead  to  more 
or  less  friction,  which  was  finally  removed 
by  transferring  the  Catechisms  to  the  Sun- 
day Schools.  It  wae  to  this  cause  that  ihe 
Sundny  School  owes  its  origin  in  many 
New  England  towns. 

The  Sunday  School  of  this  church  was 
organized  in  1817  or  1818,  the  time  of  the 
great  revival  under  Dr.  Nettleton. 

Its  sessions  were  held  in  the  morning  at 
nine  o'clock,  in  the  school  house  on  the 
Green,  South  of  the  Baptist  Church.  The 
services  consisted  in  answering  the  ques- 
tions of  the  Catechism  and  the  recital  of 
passages  of  Scripture  and  hymns  commit- 
ted to  memory.  A  certain  number  of 
verses  so  learned  and  recited  emitled  the 
scholar  to  the  reward  of  a  oook  at  the  end 
of  the  session,  closing  with  the  coming  of 
winter,  proportioned  in  value  to  the  num- 
ber of  verses  recited.  One  teacher  recol- 
lects a  pupil  who  would  recite  more  than 
one  hundred  veises  at  a  lesson,  taking  up 
nearly  the  whole  session. 

After  a  time  the  school    was  transferred 


16 


to  the  church  and  sandwiched  between  the 
morning  and  afternoon  services. 

The  first  supeiintendent,  so  tar  as  I  can 
ascertain,  in  the  aosenceof  written  records, 
was  Dea.  Kufus  Sage,  arid  Miss  Ursult 
Smith,  Assistant  Superintendent.  The 
teacheisof  the  Academy,  generally  sup- 
plied from  Yale  College,  were  sometimes 
chosen  Superintendents.  The  following 
members  among  others  of  this  church  have 
served  as  Superintendents :  Jnirus  Wil- 
cox,  William  B.  Stocking,  afterwards  mis- 
sionary to  the  IXestonans,  Richard  Warner, 
G.  S.  T.  Savage,  A.  S.  Geer,  John  M<  v- 
ens,  Win.  M.  Noble,  and  Geo.  H.  Butler. 

The  following  reminiscences  ol  «>neof  tne 
earliest  Superintendents,  Jairus  Wilcox.  are 
furnished  me  by  Rev.  Dr.  Savage  of  Chi- 
cago : — Failing  in  mercantile  business.  .Mr. 
Wilcox  afterward  consecrated  himsflf  to 
the  ministry.  When  pursuing  his  Theo- 
logical studies  in  Y-ile  Seminary,  he  spent 
the  Winter  vacation  in  this  village,  and  on 
his  way  buck  to  New  Haven  he  bec-mie 
deeply  impressed  that  he  ought  not  to  re- 
turn without  attempting  to  lead  some  one 
to  Christ,  ile  turned  back  and  spent  the 
day  in  visiting  six  young  1  die«,  securing 
from  each  a  promise  lhat  they  would  to- 
gether call  upon  Mr.  Williams,  the  Pastor, 
for  religious  conversation.  The  result  was 
the  conversion  of  the  six.  It  was  the  be- 
ginning of  the  revival  ot  1881  2,  in  which 
large  numbers  were  converted  After  a 
brief  settlement  in  Bethany,  C»>nn  ,  he 
moved  t>  Western  New  York,  wlieie  his 
labors  weie  rreatly  blessed.  From  there 
l:e  went  witii  a  Colony,  as  their  Paster,  to 
settle  Geneseo,  III.,  where  he  founded  a 
church,  which  has  grown  to  be  one  of  the 
largest  and  best  of  the  village  churches  in 
the  State,  and  an  Academy,  where  hun- 
dred* havj  r.  ceivi  d  a  Christian  education. 
Afterward  he  removed  to  Chicago  and  es- 
tablished the  Bethel  Church.  In1K.->2  he 
died  of  cholera  in 


This  is  one  of  the  rillsof  influence  which 
have  gone  out  from  this  Sunday  School. 

The  school,  since  1837,  has  contributed 
annually  to  the  cause  of  missions,  being 
moved  to  begin  this  work  by  the  influence 
of  Mr.  Stocking.  These  contributions  from 
1837  to  1876,  amount  to  $984.87. 

THE  PRAYER  MEETING. 

The  weekly  Prayer  Meeting  was  another 
outgrowth  of  renewed  interest.  It  was 
also  established  about  1818  or  1819.  It 
was  held  on  Saturday  evening,  in  a  large 
ball  chamber  in  the  house  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  Stocking  on  Freestone  street. 

According  to  the  recollections  of  one. 
the  Saturday  evening  Prayer  Meeting  was 
held  alternately  at  the  houses  of  Dea.  Ru- 
fus  Sage  and  Mr.  Samuel  Wilcox  till  about 
1826.  For  some  time  thereafter  it  was 
held  at  the  house  now  occupied  by  Mr. 
Wm.  R.  McDonald.  It  seems  certain  that 
the  place  of  holding  this  meeting  was  not 
fixed  till  the  building  now  occupied  by  the 
High  School  was  erected,  the  upper  room 
of  which  WHS  especially  designed  for  the 
devotional  meetings  of  this  church,  unless 
needed  for  school  purposes.  Since  1874  the 
Prayer  Meeting  has  been  held  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  church. 

Tins  meeting  was  well  attended  at  the 
time  of  its  orgmi/.atioo,  and  is  remembered 
with  interest  by  those  who  frequented  it. 

BEXEVOLEXT  WORK  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

The  church  has  shown  its  iniereft  in 
evangelistic  work  labors  at  home  and 
abroad  through  its  systematic  efforts  in 
supporting  mis-ions  and  other  evangelizing 
agencies. 

Benevolent  and  Missionary  organizations 
connected  with  the  Congregational  Church, 
Cromwell. 

CROMWELL  THACT  SOCIETY.       (UNION.) 

Dale  of  organization,  June  11,  1852. 

First  record  of  officers: — President,  Mrs. 
Mary  E.  Bryan  ;  Vice  President,  Mr*.  Ed- 
win Ranney.  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  Miss 


17 


Mary  G.  Savage.     With  Committee  of  two 
and  nine  Collectors. 

Number  of  members  in  1852,  180. 

Number  of  distributors  in  1852,   29. 

First  Election,  $22.53. 

Last  collection,  $24.11. 

Aggregate  of  collection?,  $439.97. 

Average  annual  collections,   $19.33. 

MONTHLY  CONCERT  CONTRIBUTIONS  FROM 
1834  TO  1875. 

From  1834  to  1866  inclusive,  these  con- 
tributions were  sent  to  the  treasury  of  the 
A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 

From  1867  onward  tney  were  divided, 
generally  equally,  between  Foreign  and 
Home  Missions. 

First  contribution,  (1834),  $10.18. 

Last  undivided  contribution  (1866)  $20.- 
62. 

Largest  undivided  contribution,  (1865), 
$34.50. 

First  divided  collection,  (1867),  Home, 
$17.68.  Foreign,  $12.81.  Total,  $30.49. 

Last  dividedcontribution,  (1875),  Home, 
$15.18;  Foreign,  $15.18.  Total,  $30.36. 

Largest  divided  contribution,  (1874), 
Home,  $23.90;  Foreign,  $23.90.  Total, 
$47.80. 

Total  to  IL  me  Missions,  $145.82. 

Total  to  Foreign  Missions,  $820  98. 

Total  Concert  collections,  (41  years), 
$966.80. 

Annual  average,  $23,58. 

in  1834  a  gold  ring  was  contributed. 

In  1835  $2.00  was  given  by  a  lady. 

In  1837  $19.48  was  given  by  Ladies  Be- 
nevolent Association,  for  Nestorbms. 

In  1870  $48  was  given  by  Lndies  Benev- 
olent Association  for  the  same  object. 
Total,  $69. 48  and  a  gold  ring. 

GENTLKMKN'.S  FOREIGN  MISSIONARY    ASSOCIA- 
TION. 

Oriinnized  Sept.  1834. 

President,  Dr.  Richard  Warner;  Vice  - 
President,  Israel  Russell ;  Secretary  and 
Tr.asiiriT,  William  R.  Stocking. 


First  collection,  $28.50. 
Last  collection,  $52.45. 
Largest  collection,  (1864)  $89. 
Aggregate  collection,    (41   years),    $1,- 
995.92. 

Average  annual  collection,  $48.68. 

LADIES  FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  ASSOCIATION. 

Organized  Sept.  1834. 

President,  Mrs.  E.  P.  Crocker;  Vice- 
President,  Mrs.  Mary  M.  Warner;  Secreta- 
ry and  Treasurer,  Miss  Margaret  Sage. 

First  collection,  $21.37. 

Last  collection,  $54. 30. 

Largest  collection,  (1852),  $70.25. 

Aggregate  collection,  (41  years),  $1,- 
857.46. 

Average  annual  collection,  $45.30. 
CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  HOME  MISSIONS,  FROM  W. 
H.  MOORE'S  STATISTICS. 

The  Missionary  Society  of  Connecticut 
was  organized  in  1798,  and  began  in 
1879  to  appeal  to  the  churches  for  home 
missions,  and  I  have  the  record  of  this 
church  on  this  cause  of  home  missions 
for  1799-1876,  78  years,  in  65  of  which 
the  church  gave  and  the  total  is  as  follows: 
Boxes,  $  336.79 

Contributions.  3.487  27 

$3,824.06 

Contributions  of  Sunday  School  to  be- 
nevolent objects  were  first  recorded  in 
1837. 

That  year  (1837)  the  amount  was  $10.21. 
JNo  year  exceeded  $10  (1853  was  exactly 
that  amount)  till  1860,  when  the  amount 
was  $23. 35. 

Evidently  a  new  method  of  taking  the 
contributions  was  adopted  from  this  year, 
1860,  for  they  never  dropped  down  to  the 
old  figures. 

The  smallest  collection,  (1847),  $4.13. 

The  largest  collection,  (1870),  $73.40. 

Total  from  1837  to  1859,  inclusive, 
$151.56. 

Average  for  22  years,  $6. 89. 

Total  frorn_1860  to  1876,  $833.31. 


18 


Average  tor  16  years,  $52.08. 
Total  from  1887  to  1876,  $984.87. 
The    marked    increase  in   the  contribu- 
tions from  1860  onward,  is  doubtless  due 
to  the  change  to  the  system  of  contributing 
by  classes,  and  of  awarding  a  banner  to  the 
leading  class. 

The  aggregate  of  contribution?  to  benev- 
olent objects  so  far  as  shown  by  the  church 
and  various  society  records : 
Cromwell  Tract  Society,  (Un- 
ion), $  439.97 
Gentleinens'  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation, (Foreign),  1,995.92 
Lidies'    Missionary     Associa- 
tion, (Foreign),  1,857.46 
Other  contributions  to  Foreign 

Missions,  (special),  69.48 

Monthly  Concert,  966.80 

Home  Missions,  3,824.06 

American  Missionary  Associa- 
tion, 745.10 
American  Bible  Society,  384.46 
American  Tract  Society,                    882.11 
American    Foreign    Christi.in 

Union,  175.30 

American  College  and  Educa- 
tion Society,  397.60 
Church  Building  Society,                   152.00 
Seamen's  Friend  Society,  72.18 
Sunday    School     Benevolent 

Cor.tributionp,  984.87 

Total,  $12,797.2(5 

In  all,  the  benevolent  contributions  <  f 
this  Church  and  Sunday  School  reach  tl;e 
total  sum  of  twelve  thousand  seven  hundred 
ninety-seven  dollars  and  twenty-six  cents 
$12,797.26). 

Mention  should  le  made  in  this  connec- 
tion of  the  Cromwell  Tract  Society.  It  is 
a  union  society,  organized  for  the  purpose 
of  disseminating  religious  trn  h  through 
this  community. 

EDUCATIONAL    INTERESTS  OF  THE  TOWN". 

This  historical  survey  is  incomplete  with- 
out some  allusion  to  the  educational  inter- 


ests of  this  people.  There  is  not  time-  for 
this  review.  It  must  be  passed  over  with 
the  single  remark  that  the  early  inhabitants 
had  the  traditional  New  England  attach- 
ment to  the  common  school. 

I  can  only  insert  the  following  tables  to 
tell  the  story  of  growth  in  school  children 
and  to  show  the  need  of  a  corresponding 
growth  in  interest : 

SCHOOL  CHILDREN  IN  ATTENDANCE  UPON  THE 
SCHOOLS  IN  CROMWELL  DURING  THE  WIN- 
TER OF  1814—15,   AND  ON  JAN.   1, 

1875  and  1876. 


Lower  School, 
North  School, 
Nooks  School, 
Birch  School, 
North-West  School, 


North  School, 
North- West  School, 
Wet,t  (Birch)  School, 
Center  School, 
South  (Lower)  School, 


1814-15. 

120 

51 

16 

45 

45 

277 

1875 

187«. 

12S 

1  32 

61 

64 

109 

99 

83 

76 

121 

116 

497 


4*7 


SUMMARY. 

Winter  1814-15,  277 

Jan.  1,  1875,  41  7 

Jan.  1,  187«,  487 

A  careful  history  of  the  Academy,  which 
n  -eds  a  historian  to  write  its  story,  now  a 
s'.ory  of  the  past,  would  show  that  higher 
eJucation  has  not  been  neglected.  Among 
it  graduates,  some  of  whom  got  within  its 
roims  an  intellectual  stimulus  that  carried 
them  through  a  collegiate  course,  have  been 
not  a  few  men  of  excellent  character  and 
prominent  influence. 

There  is  not  time  to  speak  particularly 
of  the  excellent  pastors,  Eells.  Williams 
and  do<  ker,  whpse  life-work  was  done 
with  this  people.  They  were  earnest,  de- 
voted men.  Williams  and  Ciocker  werj 


19 


taken  away  in  the  prime  of  their  manhood. 
Their  pastorate?,  with  that  of  Bulkley, 
came  in. the  time  of  great  commercial  pros- 
perity. It  was  a  time  when  comfort  and 
tape  <vas  taking  the  place  of  the  hardships 
and  privations  of  the  early  inhabitants. 
They  were  men  well  fitted  to  turn  the  en- 
ergy and  wealth  of  the  community,  in  no 
stinted  measure,  to  the  promotion  of  its  in- 
tellecual  and  moral  interests.  Nor  is  there 
time  to  speak  of  the  sons  of  Cromwell  who 
have  done  credit  it  home  and  abroad  to  its 
care  for  their  development.  Indeed  the 
necessity  of  reviewing  the  whole  period  of 
the  existence  of  this  church,  trom  the  want 
of  any  previously  published  review,  has 
compelled  me  to  take  a  most  meagre  and 
cursory  glance  at  only  the  most  prominent 
events. 

CONCLUSION. 

It  is  with  devout  thanksgiving  to  God 
that  you  should  review  the  past  history  of 
this  community.  He  has  not  led  this 
church  through  any  bitter  and  alienating 
controversies.  There  have  been  cases  of 
trying  and  annoying  discipline.  There 
have  been,  no  doubt — though  the  records 
f  how  little  or  nothing  of  them — and  there 
are  still,  cases  of  personal  estrangement. 
These  are  to  be  deplored  ;  but  you  cannot 
be  too  grateful  that  no  review,  however 
careful  and  exhaustive,  has  to  make  apolo- 
gies— as  is  too  true  of  many  historical  re- 
views— for  periods  of  bitter  strife  over  some 
matter  so  pitiably  small  and  trifling,  at  the 
distance  of  a  tew  years,  as  to  be  laughable. 
He  has  made  this  church  a  restraining  and 
conserving  influence  in  this  community.  It 
lias  not  met  the-  measure  of  its  responsibili- 
ty. In  each  period  it  has  partaken  some- 
what of  the  time's  looseness;  but  it  has 
<-ver  been  ready  to  follow  higher  lights  and 
worthier  guidance.  It  has  been  a  leader  in 
«ll  improving  influences.  May  it  so  con- 
tinue. May  its  hamls  and  feet  never  be 


fettered  by  the  chains  of  unworthy  prece- 
dent. 

He  has  made  this  church  a  power  in  the 
work  of  evangelizing  the  world.  Not  only 
has  it  stood  here,  occupying  a  little  spot  in 
the  world  of  life,  but  it  has  also  sent  forth 
men  and  money  to  work  for  Christ  in  other 
regions. 

This  church,  I  am  mindful,  in  late  years 
has  not  occupied  the  whole  field.  The 
same  pressure  that  has  excluded  so  much 
interesting  matter  has  prevented  even  an 
allusion  to  our  sister  churches.  It  is  not 
indifference  but  necessity  which  compels 
this.  This  is  a  Congregational  Church  and 
welcomes  faithful  unselfish  worn  for  Christ 
everywhere  and  always.  I  present  this  re- 
view in  no  spirit  of  laudation. 

The  presentation  of  the  facts  indicates  a 
commendable  degree  of  faithfulness  on  the 
part  of  the  oast  generations. 

Let  us  go  forward  into  the  coming  cen- 
tury encouraged  by  the  record  of  the  past, 
lifted  up  in  hope  and  energy  by  the  prom- 
ise of  the  future. 

Let  us  not  be  afraid  of  change  where 
change  seems  desirable  and  promises  in- 
creased fervor  and  influence.  Let  us  en- 
large our  agencies  tor  promoting  Christ's 
kingdom  where  occasion  demands  and  op- 
portunity is  given,  as  did  our  fathers. 

"  Far  down  the  ages  now. 

Much  of  her  journey  done. 
The  pilgrim  church  pursues  her  way, 

Until  her  crown  be  won. 

The  story  of  the  past 

Comes  up  before  her  view; 
How  well  it  seems  to  suit  her  still — 

Old,  and  yet  ever  new ! 

Thus  onward  still  we  press, 
Through  evil  and  through  good. 

Through  pain  and  poverty  and  want. 
Through  peril  and  through  blood. 

Still  faithful  to  our  God, 

And  to  our  Captain  true, 
We  follow  where  He  leads  the  way. 

The  kingdom  in  our  view." 


ADDENDA. 


This  account  of  Cromwell  is  rather  ma- 
terial for  a  history  than  a  history.  There 
would  have  been  a  great  gain  from  a  liter- 
aiy  and  rhetorical  point  of  view  in  keeping 
the  discourse,  as  it  was  prepared  and  de- 
livered, sepai  ate  fronj  the  notes.  It  was 
difficult  to  do  this  while  running  it  through 
a  weekly  journal  as  a  serial.  At  the  last 
moment,  it  was  decided  to  blend  the  ser- 
mon and  notes  in  the  best  manner  possible 
without  going  over  the  ground  anew,  and 
rewriting  the  whole. 

The  result  is  not  entirely  satisfactory. 
But  the  end  much  to  be  desired  is  gained, 
that  of  pulling  much  valuable  information 
in  respect  to  the  his:orv  of  this  tow,1, 
which  it  has  taken  great  labor  and  research 
to  get  together,  into  such  a  shape  that  it 
can  be  preserved  and  disseminated.  The 
occasion  which  called  for  this  work,  the 
appeal  of  the  State  Conference  that  the  pas- 
tors of  the  churches  throughout  llie 
state  should  prepare  a  history  of  iLeir 
respective  charges  for  Centennial  year 
(1876),  has  confined  me  pretly  closely  to 
matters  pertaining  to  the  Congregational 
C  lurch.  At  my  request,  Rev.  Henry  S. 
iv  tevetis  of  the  Bnptisl  Chuich  has  pre|  artd 
a  sketch  ot  that  organization,  which  is 
given  uelo*'.  Mr.  Elisl  a  Stevens  has  fur- 
ni^-hed  me  items  for  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The  list  of 
natives  and  citizens  who  took  pait  in  the 
Civil  War  to  which  allusion  has  been  made, 
is  given.  And  some  other  matters  of  in- 
lerei-t  worthy  of  consideration  have  been 
brought  togeth'er  in  this  Addenda.  Also  a 
few  errors  that  escaped  detection  in  course 
of  publication  from  week  to  week  have 
been  corrected. 


SKETCH  OF  THE  BAPTIST  CHUECH. 

The  Baptist  Church  of  Cromwell  was 
organized  in  1802.  Early  in  January  of 
that  year,  several  persons  who  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Hartford, 
met  at  the  house  ot  Eleazar  Savage,  to  con- 
sider the  propriety  and  feasibility  of  foim- 
ing  a  church  of  their  own  persuasion  in 
this  town.  Later,  Jan.  19th,  at  a  prayer 
meeting  held  at  the  home  of  Comfort  Ran- 
ney,  the  matter  was  farther  considered  and 
a  decision  made  to  ask  the  opinion  of  the 
church  in  Hartford.  Also  a  Committee,  of 
two  persons,  was  appointed  to  communi- 
cate with  that  body  concerning  forming  a 
church  here,  and  the  -iismission  from  it  of 
its  members  resident  here  for  ihat  purpose. 
The  Hartf-.rd  church  favored  the  project 
and  appointed  a  Committee  to  confer  far- 
ther with  the  people  here.  Feb.  (ith,  the 
people  met,  by  arrangement,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  organizing.  Had,  first,  "a  meet- 
ing for  prayer,  for  wisdom  and  direction/' 
Then,  '  he:;rd  read  the  Confession  of 
Faith."  Then,  "entered  into  Covenant 
relations  as  a  church  of  Christ,"  to  be 
called  "  The  Second  Baptist  Church  of 
Middletown."  Those  present  on  that  oc- 
casion uniting  to  constitute  the  church 
numbered  sixteen  persons,  seven  men  and 
nine  women.  Their  names  were  as  fol- 
lows: — Ekazhr  Savage,  Stephen  Treat, 
John  Treat,  Comfort  Ranney,  Timothy 
Savage,  Josiah  Graves,  \Vill»rd  Hnnney, 
Sarah  Savage,  Molly  Savage,  Mary  Ran- 
ney,  Ruth  Ranney  1st,  Ruth  Ranney  2d, 
Percy  Savage,  Rachel  \\ilcox,  Sally  Sav- 
age, Betsey  Treat. 

Timothy  Savage  was  elected  Clerk  of  the 
Church. 


March  20th  the  church  "adopted  'Arti- 
cles of  Faith,"  those  commonly  known  as 
the  New  Hampshire  Confession  of  Faith  " 
Social  conference  and  prayer  meetings  were 
held  at  the  dwellings  of  the  people  for 
some  time  prior  to  and  subsequent  to  the 
forming  of  the  church,  and  occasionally 
some  minister  preached  at  these  meetings, 
but  the  first  "  call  "  to  any  one  to  perform 
ministerial  labor  among  them  was  given 
April  8,  1803,  when  Ihe  church  "  asrreed 
with  Rev.  EberMoffat  to  preach  two-thirds 
of  the  time,  and  asreed  to  give  him  thirty  - 
fonr  pounds,  to  bo  divided  among  the 
brethren  according  to  their  abilities,  after 
deducting  whatever  may  be  secured  by 
contributions." 

Jan.  21,  1804,  Rev.  Nehemiah  Dodge 
"  was  applied  to  to  preach  one  half  of  the 
time  for  six  months."  June,  1805,  Rev. 
Daniel  Wildman  "agreed  to  preach  for  the 
church  one-half  of  the  time  during  the  en- 
suing year."  May,  1806,  Mr.  John  Grant 
'•was  engaged,  for  two  hundred  dollars,  to 
p-each  one-fourth  of  the  time."  Soon 
after  beginning  to  preach  Mr.  Grant  was 
ordained.  In  May,  1808.  he  was  "en- 
gaged to  preach  one-half  of  the  time,  and 
de  continued  pastor  of  the  body  until  July, 
1810.  In  1817  Rev.  Frederick  Wightman 
was  called  to  the  pa«torale  and  continued 
as  minuter  of  the  etmrch  until  1832,  Sub- 
sequently Mr.  Wightman  was  pastor  from 
1837  to  1839,  making  an  aggregate  pastoral 
care  of  seventeen  years.  Lnter  he  returned 
to  thi«  town  to  reside  and  died  here  at  a 
good  old  age. 

In  1803  ihe  church  built  a  plain  frame 
elilicefora  Meeting-House  on  the  West 
Gn-eii,  and  held  their  public  meetings  there 
un'il  1833,  when  the  house  was  moved  to 
.  the  central  part  of  Ihe  village  and  placed 
on  a  lot  nearly  opposite  the  present  site  of 
the  Post  Office.  Worship  continued  in 
this  house  until  Nov.  3,  1853,  on  which 
day  a  new  house  of  worship,  located  a  lit- 


tle North  of  the  old  one,  built  during  the 
pastorate  of  the  Rev.  C.  W.  Potter  and 
largely  through  his  instrumentality,  was 
dedicated.  This  latter  edifice  was  remod- 
eled, somewhat,  internally  in  1872,  and  is 
the  house  of  worship  of  the  church  at  the 
present  time. 

About  three  hundred  and  fifty  persons 
have  been  in  membership  with  the  churc  h 
most  of  them  having  joined  by  baptism  on 
profession  of  their  faith.  For  the  latter 
ordinance  nature  has  furnished  a  baptist- 
ery in  the  beautiful  river  flowing  by  the 
side  of  our  town. 

Sabbath  School  work  has  been  steadily 
done.  The  church  has  been  favored  with 
several  "revival"  seasons.  The  people 
have  tried  to  aid  in  every  good  work  they 
were  able  to.  Have  contributed  often  and 
according  to  their  ability  to  missions  and 
other  charitable  enterprises;  and  have 
gone  a-begging  but  very  little. 


A  SKETCH  OF  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH. 

One  of  the  results  of  the  religious  awak- 
ening which  occurred  in  1857,  was  the 
formation  of  a  Methodist  Class  of  about 
twenty  members.  The  revival  interest 
from  which  this  class  sprung  was  confined 
principally  to  the  part  of  the  town  known 
as  The  Plains.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Its  con- 
gregation worshipped  for  a  time  in  an  old 
church  building  formerly  occupied  by  the 
Baptists. 

In  the  Fall  of  1858  movements  were 
made  toward  building  a  new  church.  In 
November  of  that  year  the  edifice  was  com- 
menced, and  in  June,  1859,  it  was  dedica- 
ted, Dr.  Cummings  of  the  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity preaching  the  dedication  sermon. 

Rev.  Arza  Hill,  an  active  worker  in   the 


22 


revival  mentioned  above,  and  a  graduate  of 
Wesleyan  University,  was  the  first  pastor. 
Among  thore  who  have  served  as  pastors 
for  one  or  two  years  besides  Mr.  Hill,  are 
Rev.  Messrs.  Little,  Wagner,  Reynolds 
and  A.  C.  Stevens.  During  most  of  the 
time,  since  the  establishment  of  the  church, 
the  pulpit  has  been  supplied  with  students 
from  the  University  at  Middletowu. 


The  following  is  the  roll  of  officers  and 
enlisted  men,  arranged  in  alphabetical  or 
der. 

The  first  man  who  enlisted  f<>r  the  war 
from  Cromwell,  was  Arthur  Boardman. 
See  below. 

Addis  Charles.  Musician.  Enlisted  May 
22,  1861.  Discharged  May  21,  1864. 

Addis  Walter.  Musician.  Enlisted  AMU. 
30th,  1862.  Discharged  Nov.  11,  186-1 

Allison  John  D.  Lieut. -Colonel.  En 
listed  Oct.  13,  1802.  Discharged  Sept. 
30,  1863. 

Allison  Kobert  J.  Enlisted  Aug  12, 
1862.  Died  of  wouu.is  Sept.  9,  1864,  re- 
ceived at  the  battle  of  Peach  Tree  Cieek. 

Barnes  Edmund  D.  Enlisted  Sept.  9, 
1862.  Discharged  Sept.  30,  lsr,:\ 

Bt-ldi.'n  Lewis.  Enlisted  Dec.  26,  1863 
Died  in  service. 

Biack  E.I  ward  J.  Knlisted  Aug.  13, 
18(52.  Discharged  June  13.  1865. 

Blacknvm  Charles  Enlisted  Sept  4, 
1NI51.  Re-enlis:ed  as  veieran  March  7, 
1 864. 

Boardman  Arthur.  Enlisted  April  26, 
1861.  Re-enlisted  for  three  years  Aug. 
II,  1862  as  Veti-ran  Orderly  Sergeant 
Promoted  to  2nd  Lieutenant  March  22, 
1S:;4.  Promoied  io  1st  Lieutenant  Jan  7, 
1865  Discharged  June  13,  18''.5. 

B  g'ie  Enoch.  Enlisted  .May  22,  1861. 
Discharged  .May  21,  1864. 

Bevins  Charles  T.  En'is'ed  May  22, 
1-^11.  .Vu>>red  in  ainin  N.»v.  Is.  Is;;:). 


Bramard  Martin,  V.  B.  Enlisted  Aug. 
30,  1862.  Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

Brown  Henry  B.  Enlisted  Aug.  30, 
1862.  Died  March  25,  1863. 

Bull  Law  E.  Enlisted  Sept.  6,  1861. 
Promoted  to  Adjutant.  Committed  sui- 
cide Oct.  20,  1862. 

Cary  Thomas.  Enlisted  Sept.  10,  1862. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

Clark  Hiram.     Enlisted  Aug.  7,  1862. 
Clark  Walter.     Enlisted  Sept.    7,    1861. 
Died  of  wounds  June  21.  1864. 

Coe  James.  Enlisted  Sept.  7,  1861. 
Re-enlisted  as  veteran  Dec.  4,  1863. 

Eveland  Nelson.  Enlisted  Sept,  9,  1862. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

Fawthrop  Joseph.  Enlisted  Aug.  14, 
1862.  Discharged  Feb.  16,  1863. 

Fenn  James  W.  Enlisted  May  22,  1861. 
Di -charged  May  23,  1864. 

Fuller  John  C.     Enlisted  Aug.  22,  1862. 
Geer  Henry  S.      Enlisted  as  1st  Sergeant 
Aug.  12,  1862.     Died  at    Fairfax    Station, 
Va..  Jan    17,   1863. 

Gilbert  Kalph.  Enlisted  Sept.  6,  1861. 
Promoted  to  Lieutenant  Dec.  1,  1863. 

Griswold  Sylvester.  Enlisted  Sept.  8, 
1862  Transferred  to  V.  R.  Corps  May  8, 
1864. 

Haling  Lewis.  Enlisted  May  22,  1*61. 
Ke  enlisted  as  veteran  Nov.  IB,  1863. 
C  >mn/i  si  Tied  2nd  Lieutenant  of  Infantry 
— Colored  Regiment. 

Hartman  Charles.  Enlisted  A 112.  16, 
1862.  Dix-liar-red  Dec.  Hi,  1862. 

Hayes    Hiram    F.       Enlisted    Sept.    13, 

1861.  Re-enlisted    as    veteran    Di  c.     22, 
1863. 

Hellentlirall  Philip.      Ei  listed   Aug.    12, 

1862.  Died  Oct.  27,  18<;2. 

Hubbar'd  Daniel  R.  Enlisted  »s  Lien- 
tenant  May  22.  1861.  Promoted  t<.  Cap- 
tain June  15,  lsr,-j. 

Mubbard  Cli-irles  T.  Enlisted  Aug.  14, 
1*62.  Transferred  to  Invalid  Corps,  Jan. 
23,  1SC4. 


Hubbard  Frederick  R.  Enlisted  March 
7.  1862.  Discharged. 

Hubbard  John  H.  Enlisted  Feb.  13, 
1862.  Re-enlisted  as  veteran  Feb.  16, 
1864. 

Hubbard  Jeremiah  Enlisted  Aug.  1862. 
Discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war  June 
13.  1865. 

Hutchinson  John  I.  Enlisted  Sergeant 
Sept.  6,  1861.  Promoted  to  1st  Lieuten- 
ant March  1,  1864. 

Jones  Wells.  Enlisted  May  22,  1861. 
Re-enlisted  as  veteran  Nov.  26,  1863. 

Knoblock  Charles.  Enlisted  Aug.  12, 
1862.  Transferred  to  Invalid  Corps  May 
1,  1864. 

Liebler  Frank.  Enlisted  Sept.  9,  1862. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

Lincoln  Dnniel  S.  Enlisted  Sept.  10, 
1862.  Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

Minor  Charles  H.      1st  Heavy  Artillery. 

Moose  Joseph.  Enlisted  Aug.  30,  1862. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

N  earing  Henry  S.  Enlisted  Sept.  8, 
ls»i2.  Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

Osborn  Junes  H.  Enlisted  Dec.  28, 
1863. 

Paddock  Shernvm.  Enlisted  Aug.  12. 
1SC.2.  Discharged  June  13,  1H65. 

Paddock  Lumnn.  Enlisted  Aug.  30, 
1862.  Died  July  27; "l 863. 

Penfield  Charles  T.  Enlisted  Aug.  12, 
1862.  Discharged  nt  the  close  of  the  war 
June  13.  1865. 

Palmer  George  II.  EidistcJ  Aug.  12, 
18i;2.  Discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war 
June  13,  1865. 

Ralph  James.  Enlisted  Aug.  22,  1862. 
Discharged  March  17,  1864.  Cause,  disa- 
bility. 

Ralph  Tiila.  Enlisted  Sept.  15,  1862. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

Robinson  Stillman.  Enlisted  Sept.  6, 
1862.  Discharged  Sept.  30,1863. 

Saire  Eli-ha  T.  Enlisted  1863.  Dis- 
charj;rl  Anir.  ISM.",. 


Sage  George  El.  Enlisted  Aug.  12, 
1862.  Discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war 
June  13,  1865. 

Sage  John  L.  Enlisted  Sept.  15,  1862. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  1863. 

Sage  Newell  I.  Enlisted  Sept.  9.  1862. 
Discharged  June  6,  1863.  Cause,  disabili7 

ty- 

Sage  Orrin  B,  Enlisted  Aug.  12,  1862. 
Discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war  July 
13th,  1865. 

Savage  Edward  B.  1st  Lieutenant. 
Enlisted  Sept.  8,  1862.  Discharged  Sept. 
30.  1863. 

Savage  William.  Enlisted  Nov.  20, 
1861.  Re-enlisted  as  veteran  Jan.  1, 
1864. 

Shipmaker  George   B.      Enlisted   Aug. 

12,  1862.      Died  of  wounds  May  23,  1863. 
Shulfz  Frank.     Fnlisted  Sept.  13,  1861. 

Re-enlisted  as  veteran  Dec.  22,  1863. 

Simpson  Timothy  D.  Enlisted  May  22, 
1861.  Dropped  from  the  roll  of  the  War 
Department  Sept  21,  1863. 

Southwick  Lyman.  Enlisted  Dec.  3, 
1861.  Re  enlisted  Dec.  19,  1863. 

Stevens  Henry  S.  Commissioned  Chap- 
lain 14th  C.  V.  Aug.  21,  1862.  Resigned 
Dec.  22,  1863. 

Smith  John  M.  Enlisted  Nov.  14,  1862. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  '63 

Smith  W.  F.  A.  Enlisted  Aug.  12,  '62. 
Discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war  June 

13,  '65. 

Stickney  Wm.  S.  Enlisted  Aug.  12, 
'62.  Discharged  March  23,  '63.  Cause, 
disability. 

Taylor  Martin,  V.  K.  Enlisted  Aug. 
20,  '62.  Died  at  New  Orleans  July  19, 
'63. 

Tracy  Frank  C.  Enlisted  Aug.  30,  '62. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  '63. 

Trym  George  F.  Enlisted  Sept.  9,  '62. 
Discharged  Sept.  30,  '63. 

Waterman  Arthur  E.  Sergeant.  En- 
INted  Sept  4,  '62.  Discharged  Sept.  30, 


24 


Westervelt  Isaac  H.  Enlisted  Sept.  6, 
'61.  Promoted  to  2d  Lieutenant  July  9, 
'63. 

Wilcox  Charles  G.  Enlisted  Aug.  12, 
'62.  Died  in  the  field  of  wounds  received 
at  Turner's  Ferry,  Ga.,  Sept.  1,  '64. 

Williams  Charles,  K.  Enlisted  Feb.  22, 
'61.  Discharged  May  21, '64. 

Winkle  Frank.  Enlisted  Aug.  12,  '62. 
Discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war,  June 
13,  '65. 

Wright  Lev.  rott.  Enlisted  May  22,  '61. 
Dropped  from  the  roll  by  WTar  Department 
Dec.  23,  '63. 

Citizens  of  this  town  who  cnlipted  else- 
where and  not  counted  in  the  requisition  of 
ibis  town. 

Baldwin  Henry  S.  Enlisted  at  Middle- 
town.  Died  from  wounds. 

Botell  Henry.     Enlisted  at  Hartford. 

Clark  W.  L.     Enlisted  at  Middietown. 

Demars  Thomas.  Enlisted  at  MidOIe- 
town.  Killed  at  Antietam. 

Kappil  Charles. 

KnoV>lo<:k  Frederick.  Enlisted  at  Mid- 
dietown. 

Rigby  Charles.  Substitute  for  John  M. 
Douglas  of  Middletown.  Killed  at  Port 
Hudson. 

Shepherd  G.     Enlisted. 

Waterman  Charles.  Enlisted  at  Mid- 
dietown. Died  of  wounds. 

There  were  several  others  who  went  as 
substitutes  for  persons  drafted  whose  names 
do  not  appear  in  the  above  list. 

In  addition  to  the  above  names  the  town 
hired  twelve  men  as  substitntcs  to  fill  the 
quota  of  one  call  without  drafting. 

The  fo'lowing  list  comprises  the  names 
of  the  native  citizens  of  Cromwell  who 
have  been  graduated  at  college.  The  facts 
con«:eruing  these  persons  are  largely  de- 
rived from  the  appendix  to  Dr.  Field's 
Centennial  Address.  The  date  of  baptism 
is  from  the  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.  The 
children  were  usually  baptized  the  Sunday 
oll.>,viaj;  t'.i'ir  biri'i. 


Stephen  White,  grandson  of  Nathaniel 
White  one  of  the  first  settlers,  was  born  at 
Upper  Houses  in  1718.  About  1720  his 
family  moved  to  New  Haven.  He  was 
graduated  at  Yale  in  1736.  On  the  24th 
of  December,  1740,  he  was  ordained  pastor 
of  the  first  church  in  Windham,  where  he 
lived  and  gave  full  proof  of  his  ministry  till 
his  death,  Jan.  9,  1794,  aged  76.  Mr. 
White  married  Mary  Dyer,  sister  of  Elipha- 
let  Dyer,  a  member  of  the  Revolutionary 
Congress,  and  Presiding  Judge  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  Connecticut.  He  had  thir- 
teen children,  the  youngest  of  whom,  Dyer 
White,  Esq.,  was  a  lawyer  in  New  Haven, 
and  Judge  of  Probate. 

Daniel  Stocking,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph 
Stocking,  born  in  1727,  was  graduated  at 
Yale  in  1748.  He  followed  teaching, 
and  was  so  well  and  widely  known  in  his 
calling  that  he  received  the  title  Dt  Master 
Slocking.  He  died  Dec.  23,  1800,  aged 
73. 

Joseph  Kirby,  son  of  Joseph  and  Hester 
Kirhy,  baptized  May  19,  1745,  was  grad- 
uated at  Yale  in  the  class  of  1765.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  but  never  became  a  pas- 
tor. He  lived  in  Gronville,  Mass.,  and 
then  in  Dorset,  Vt.,  where  he  died  in  Sep- 
tember, 1823.  aged  78. 

Timothy  Jones  Gridley,  son  of  Isaac 
Gridley,  baptized  Nov.  23,  1788,  was 
graduated  in  1808.  He  studied  medicine 
with  Dr.  Nathan  Smith  of  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege and  settled  as  a  physician  at  Amherst, 
Mass.  He  was  a  successful  and  eminent 
practitioner.  Dr.  Gridley  died  March  11, 
1852,  aged  64. 

Chauncey  Wilcox,  born  in  1797,  was  a 
Yale  graduate,  class  of  1824.  A<  ter  a  course 
of  tneology  at  New  Haven,  he  was  ordained 
and  installed  as  pastor  at  North  Greenwich, 
July  25,  1828.  There  he  labored  with 
great  fidelity  and  success  for  eighteen 
years  and  rai-ed  up  an  infant  church  of 
eighteen  members,  among  a  scattered  popu- 
lation, to  more  than  one  hundred.  In  1817 
• 


Mr.  Wilcox  engaged  in  teaching,  at  which 
calling  he  was  "  highly  useful  and  success- 
ful.'' During  this  period  he  resided  at 
Ridgefield,  where  he  diad  Jan.  31,  1852, 
at  the  age  of  55. 

Thomas  Stoughton  Savage,  M.  D.  D.D., 
was  a  graduate  of  Vale  m  1825;  he  studied 
theology  in  an  Episcopal  institute  near 
Alexandria,  Ya.,  and  was  ordained  as  an 
Episcopal  clergyman.  For  several  years 
he  was  a  missionary  at  Cape  Palmas  in 
Africa.  After  his  return  he  became  rector 
of  a  church  at  Natches  and  at  Post  Chris- 
tion,  Miss. ;  later  at  Livingstone  and 
Oxford,  Ali.  He  is  now  rector  of  a  church 
at  Rhinecliff  on  the  Hudson. 

William  Kirby  was  horn  in  Cromwell, 
July  10,  1805;  a  Yale  graduate  in  the  class 
of  1827;  studied  theology  at  Union  Theo- 
logical Seminary  in  182'.)-31;  was  ordained 
to  the  gospel  ministry  at  Guilford,  March 
22,  1831.  He  went  to  Illinois  the  same 
year,  and  was  a  teacher  in  Illinois  College 
two  years,  1831-33.  He  afterwards  he- 
came  successively  pastor  of  three  churches 
from  1836-45.  In  1845  he  became  agent 
of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
and  reiaimd  that  position  till  his  death, 
D'.-c.  20,  1851,  aized  47. 

William  Walter  Woodworth  was  born 
in  Cmmwell,  Oct.  1R,  1813;  was  graduated 
at  Yiile  in  1838;  studied  theology  at  Yale 
Theological  Seminary.  He  was  ordained 
as  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  at 
Berlin,  July  6,  1842.  He  served  thischurch 
ten  VCHIS.  From  1852  to  1876,  Mr.  Wood- 
worth  was  successively  pastor  at  Water- 
bury ;  MansnYld,  Ohio;  Springfield,  Mass.; 
Plymouth,  Mass.  ;  Painesville,  Ohio  ;  Bel- 
ohertown,  Mass.  ;  and  Gnnnell,  Iowa.  In 
1876,  Jan.  6,  he  was  installed  as  pastor  of 
Berlin,  his  first  parish. 

George  Slocum  Folger  Savage,  D. D.. 
was  born  in  this  place  June  29,  1817;  was 
graduated  at  Yale  in  1844;  ordained  at 
Cromwell,  Sept.  28.  1847.  He  became 
pastor  of  a  Congregational  Church  at  St. 


Charles,  III.,  Nov.  5,  1848,  where  he  re- 
mained till  Jan.  1,  1860.  He  then  became 
agent  of  the  American  Tract  Society,  (Bos- 
ton); later  was  agent  for  the  Congrega- 
tional Publishing  Society,  and  is  now  serv- 
ing as  Financial  Secretary  of  the  Chicago 
Theological  Seminary,  and  resides  in  Chi 
cago,  111. 

William  Augustus  Meigs  Hand  is  credit- 
ed to  this  town.  He  was  born  in  1817, 
the  only  child  of  William  M  Hand,  M.  D 
He  was  a  graduate  of  Wesleyan  University 
in  the  class  of  1836.  He  studied  law  two 
yeaiv,  then  turned  to  theology.  He  died 
before  entering  upon  his  profession,  for 
which  he  was  especially  fitted  by  his  nat- 
ural and  acquired  gifts,  May  17,  1839. 

Josiah  Savage  was  a  Yale  graduate  of 
1846.  He  studied  law. in  New  Haven  and 
N«-w  York.  Removed  to  California  and 
died  at  Trinity  River,  Nov.  1849,  aged  25. 

Ebenezer  White  Beckv.  ith  was  n  gradu- 
ate of  Yale  1847.  He  taught  in  the  South, 
Granaila,  Miss.  He  afterward  erected  the 
building  now  known  as  Cromwell  Hall  and 
established  a  boarding  school.  He  died  at 
Indianapolis,  Ind..  Sept.  30,  1865. 

Thomas  Scranton  Hubbard  was  a  gradu- 
ate of  Yale,  class  of  1849.  He  went  into 
business  ;  was  located  at  one  time  in  Dur- 
ham. He  ia  now  doing  an  exten  ive  trade 
in  hardware  in  Urbana,  111.  He  is  a 
prominent  active  member  and  officer  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  and  a  useful,  public- 
spirited  citizen. 

Jesse  Franklin  Forbes  born  in  Hartford, 
but  for  several  years  a  lesident  of  this 
town,  was  graduated  at  Amherst  in  1874. 
He  studied  theology  at  Union  Theological 
Seminary  and  was  ordained  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  Church  in  Wan  en,  Mass., 
in  the  spring  of  1878. 

Edwin  Horace  Forbss  was  a  graduate  of 
Yale  Scientific  School  in  1874.  He  has 
taught  school  at  Plymouth  and  Windsor. 

George  Fairfield  Forbes  was  a  graduate 
of  Amheist  in  1875.  Since  graduation  he 


2G 


has  hcen  a  teacher  in  Roxbury  Latin  School, 
Boston  Highlands. 

John  Winthrop  Wright  was  an  Amherst 
graduate  of  1877.  He  is  now  studying 
medicine  in  New  York. 

Russell  Stow,  a  native  of  this  town, 
spent  one  year  in  Vale  College,  1798,  when 
he  left  thai  institution  and  studied  medi- 
cine with  Dr.  Ebcnezer  Tracy.  He  after- 
wards prac: iced  in  Ellisbumh  and  Adams, 
Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y.,  with  excellent  suc- 
cess. 

Robert  Hubbard,  M.  D.,  of  this  place, 
entered  Yale  College  bul  was  compelled  to 
leave  on  account  of  ill  health.  He  studied 
medicine  and  established  himself  in  Bridge- 
port, where  he  has  a  very  extensive  prac- 
tice. He  is  well  known  and  much  respect- 
eel  in  Fai'  field  County.  He  has  once  been 
a  candidate  for  Congress  in  his  district, 
and  was  so  popular  that  he  ran  ahead  of 
the  rest  of  the  ticket. 

The  following  were  sons  of  Rev  Edward 
Eclls. 

James  Eells,  Yale  17fi3,  was  ordained  pas- 
tor at  Buckingbitm,  August.  1769,  and 
served  that  church  till  he  died  in  1805. 

Samuel  Eells,  Yale,  1765.  was  ordained 
pastor  at  North  Branford  in  1769,  and  re- 
mained there  till  his  death  in  April,  1808. 

O/.ias  Eells,  Yale,  1779.  was  ordnned 
pastor  at  Barkhamsted.  Jan.  1737.  and  con- 
tinued, like  his  bro'hers,  pastor  of  his  fir.-t 
church  till  his  death  in  May,  1813. 

There  are  in  college  at  this  date,  Dec. 
1879,  the  following  young  men  : 

Fiank  Kirk  wood  Hallock,  class  of  1882, 
Wesleyan. 

Watson  Lewis  Savage,  H  t>s  of  1882, 
Amherst. 

Willis  Benton  Wright,  class  of  1881. 
Sheffield  Scientific  School.  Yale. 

To  this  list  of  names  should  he  added 
those  of  YYilHani  C.  Redrield  and  William 
R.  Stocking.  The  names  of  both  these 
men  are  cherished  with  peculiar  respect 


and  reverence  by  the  older  citizens   of  this 
town. 

Prof.  Olmsted  says  of  Mr.  Redfield,  in 
his  address  before  the  American  Associa- 
tion for  the  Advancement  of  Science.  He 
was  born  in  Middletown,  March  26,  1789, 
and  moved  to  Cromwell  at  the  age  of  14. 
He  was  a  thorough  student,  and  derived 
much  aid  from  a  debating  society  — 
"  Friendly  Association  " — which  he  helped 
to  organize.  Tully,  a  scholarly  physician, 
also  greatly  assisted  him.  In  1821  occurred 
the  "great  September  gale,"  and  in  travel- 
ing over  the  region  devastated  some  weeks 
afterwards,  Mr.  Redrield  saw  that  while  in 
one  section  the  storm  came  from  the  south- 
east a  few  miles  distant  the  direction  was 
from  the  north-west  The  idea  flashed 
upon  him  that  the  storm  was  a  "progres- 
sive w/tirlii'ind."  This  discovery  placed 
him  among  the  philosophers  of  hi?  time. 
In  Js-20  Franklin  Kelsey,  a  townsman,  in- 
vented a  peculiar  engine  for  sieamboats; 
that  idea  proved  a  railure,  hut  n  suggested 
to  the  mind  of  Mr.  Redfield,  a  *<tf<  f,>/ 
barge,  as  avoiding  the  danger  of  explo- 
sions, the  passenger  boat  being  towed  by 
the  steamboat,  and  out  of  that  grew  the 
plan  of  tow  boats,  now  so  gener  illy  used 
on  the  Hudr-on  ami  other  riveis,  and  for 
thirty  years  Mr.  Redfield  ha-l  the  superin- 
tendence ot  such  a  line.  In  1829,  when 
railroads  had  been  known  in  the  country 
lor  only  three  years,  and  while  the  Erie 
canal  was  at  the  height  of  its  popularity, 
he  issued  a  pamphlet  suggesting  a  line  of 
railroads  connecting  the  Hudson  and  the 
Mississippi  rivers,  and  foretold  how  won- 
det fully  it  would  develop  that  part  of  our 
country.  He  was  one  of  the  leaders  in 
building  the  Harlem,  Hudson  River  and 
Hertford  and  .New  Haven  railroads.  He 
was  a  frequent  contributor  to  scientific 
journals,  and  in  18H9  received  the  honorary 
degree  of  M.  A.  from  Yale  College.  His 
diath  occurred  in  the  early  part  of  1857. 


I  am  indebted  for  the  facts  in  regard  to 
Rev.  William  R.  Slocking  to  the  sermon 
preached  at  his  funeral  in  Oroomiah,  Per- 
sia, July  9,  185i,  by  Rev.  Justin  Perkins, 
D.  D.  William  Redtield  Stocking  was 
born  in  Cromwell,  then  Upper  Middle- 
town,  June  24,  1810.  He  was  born  the 
same  year  the  missionary  society  in  whose 
service  he  spent  his  life  was  established, 
and  used  playfully  to  remark  to  his  mission- 
ary brethren,  that  he  was  the  twin  brother 
of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions.  "  Brother,  son  or 
missionary  of  that  Board,"  says  Dr.  Per- 
kins, "  he  was  an  honor  and  ornament  to 
it  in  every  relation."  Some  time  previous 
to  1836  Mr.  Stocking  entered  the  Academy 
at  Munson,  MHSS.,  wilh  the  intention  of 
fifing  for  Yale  College.  An  earnest  appeal 
for  helpers  sent  forth  that  year  by  the  mis- 
sionary society,  especially  f<>r  well  quali- 
fied teachers  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  ?o 
stirred  the  soul  of  the  young  student  that 
he  offered  himself  as  a  teacher  for  that 
field,  and  was  accepted.  But  before  he 
was  ready  to  depart,  an  appeal  came  from 
the  Nei-torian  Mission  for  a  superintendent 
of  its  educational  work.  Mr.  Stocking  was 
appointed  to  this  work.  He  sailed  with 
h  s  wife,  nee  Miss  Jerusha  E.  Gilbert  of 
Colchester,  to  whom  he  was  married  m 
December,  1836,  from  Boston  on  the  7th 
of  January,  1837.  He  reached  his  field  of 
labor  in  June  of  that  year,  and  at  once  de- 
vott-d  himself  with  characteristic  energy  to 
the  masti  ry  of  the  language  of  his  new 
home.  He  entered  with  zeal  into  his  work. 
He  WHS  an  earm  st,  inspiring  ami  success- 
ful ti  acher.  He  continued  in  the  educa- 
tional bnmch  of  ihe  mission  work  till  1841, 
April  18th,  at  which  time  he  was  ordained 
to  the  gospel  ministry.  In  a  seru.on  de- 
livered in  Persia  by  Dr.  Justin  Perkins, 
soon  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Storking,  lie 
says  he  had  no  superior  and  probably  no 
equal  as  a  preacher  in  th<;  mission.  In 
times  of  revivals  and  on  rm.ny  great  occa- 


his sermons  had  a  wonderfully  sub- 
duing, overcoming  effect.  Mr.  Stocking 
continued  to  work  with  untiring  devotion 
and  energy  till  the  failure  of  his  health  in 
1853  compelled  him  to  return  to  his  native 
land.  Instead  of  regaining  health,  he  de- 
clined and  died  on  the  30ih  of  April,  1854, 
aged  44.  Says  Dr.  Perkins,  ''Mr.  Stock- 
ing had  accomplished  a  great  work  before 
he  left  us.  Through  his  faithful  labors 
and  his  fervent  prayers,  under  the  Divine 
blessing,  '  much  people  was  added  unto  the 
Lord.'  He  had  a  wonderful  tact  and  power 
to  reach,  impress  and  influence  the  native 
mind  and  hearl ;  and  that  tact  and  power  was 
not  suffered  to  rest  or  lie  dormant  while 
he  had  corporeal  strength  to  exercise 
them."  Mrs.  Stocking  is  still  living.  A 
son,  Rev.  William  R.,  is  a  missionary  in 
the  same  field  as  that  iu  which  his  father  la- 
bored and  did  his  life  work. 


THE  FRIENDLY  ASSOCIATION  AND  ACADEMY. 

These  two  institutions  were  in  active 
operation  in  the  early  part  of  this  century 
in  this  town,  and  were  a  healthful  means 
of  awakening  and  devoloping  the  mental 
poweis  of  the  young. 

They  are  pleasantly  recalled  by  the  older 
inhabitants.  Though  every  one  whose 
memory  goes  back  to  the  days  when  this 
school  and  society  were  in  a  nourishing 
condition,  speaks  of  their  influence  as  being 
in  every  way  helpful  and  elevating,  I  have 
been  able  to  gather  but  few  ftcts. 

As  early  as  1808,  according  to  Dr.  Field 
in  his  "Centennial  Address  and  Historical 
Sketches,"  a  debating  society  was  formed. 
Two  years  later,  this  society  was  enlarged, 
or  rather  another  organization  was  formed 
upon  a  broader  and  more  efficient  pUn,  to 
which  Ihe  property  of  the  old  society  was 
l  ransfened.  This  was  the  Friendly  Asso- 
ciation, whose  first  meeting  was  held  Feb. 
20,  1810.  The  object  of  this  association 
was  to  promote  "the  discussion  of  ques- 


tions  on  various  subjects,  the  recitation  of 
dialojuies  and  selected  pieces,  original  com- 
position and  declamation,  together  with  a 
permanent  library  or  the  use  of  its  mem- 
bers. It  has  had  nearly  three  hundred 
members,  and  a  library  of  about  five  hun- 
dred volumes.  This  association  has  had  no 
active  existence  as  a  debating  society  for 
these  many  years.  So  far  as  I  can  ascer- 
tain the  period  of  this  society's  gre-itest  ac- 
tivity and  usefulness  was  between  1810 
and  1830.  Dr.  Warren  says :  When  I 
went  to  Cromwell,  (1838)  it  had  passed  in- 
to its  decline.  Mr.  W.  C  Redfield,  Dr. 
Wm.  Tully  and  others  who  had  been  in- 
terested in  it  at  first  had  moved  away,  and 
there  were  few  to  take  their  places.  The 
library  was  si  ill  used  to  some  extent,  but 
the  books  were  not  of  a  popular  character, 
anil  were  not  much  sought  for." 

Aoout  nve  years  ago  its  constitution  was 
modified  so  as  to  enable  it  to  maintain  a 
reading  room  and  library  without  sustain- 
ing regular  meetings,  as  the  old  constiiuion 
required.  A  few  new  books  were  added 
and  a  reading  room  was  opened  in  the  sec- 
ond story  of  the  high  school  building — tbe 
old  Academy.  The  books,  though  modern 
and  enteititining,  were  too  few  in  number 
to  attract  readers.  The  reading  room, 
though  enjoyed  by  those  who  frequented 
it,  was  closed  in  a  few  months  for  want  of 
funds. 

A  library  and  reading  room,  well  stocked 
and  liberally  maintained,  is  a  great  desider 
alum  lor  this  community,  second  only  to  a 
first  class  school.  The  day  will  come,  I 
believe,  when  every  community  possessing 
the  we.dth  and  population  of  this,  will  r.ot 
be  without  these  means  of  mental  nourish- 
ment. The  value  «>f  good  reading  in  pro- 
moting culture,  breadth  and  strength  of 
mind,  will  be  appreciated.  Does  one  wish 
to  leave  a  monument  to  his  name?  Does 
one  wish  lo  confer  some  lasting  blessing 
upon  his  native  place ?  Does  he  wish  to 


start  an  influence  that  shall  be  a  perennial 
source  of  mental  and  moral  good,  outlast 
ing  the  most  enduring  monuments  of  stone 
and  bronze  ?  Let  him  do  something  to  es- 
tablish, on  a  liberal  and  enduring  basis,  the 
educational  interests  of  his  home.  Here 
is  a  grand  field  for  a  far-seeing,  liberal  and 
public-spirited  man. 

Since  writing  the  above  sketch,  I  have 
had  the  good  fortune  to  obtain  a  brief  his- 
tory of  the  Friendly  Association,  written 
by  the  late  Horace  G.  Williams,  found 
among  his  papers  and  now  in  the  possession 
of  his  sister,  Miss  Emily  C.  Williams  of 
Middletown.  I  am  kindly  permitted  to 
make  use  of  this  history.  In  addition  to 
what  has  already  been  given,  1  gather  the 
following  interesting  facts: 

The  first  officers  of  the  society,  elected 
Feb.  20,  1810,  were  as  follows: — Presi- 
dent, Rev.  Joshua  L.  Williams;  Vice  Pres- 
ident, Silas  Sage;  Secretary,  William  C. 
Redfield;  Treasurer.  Allen  Butler.  Of 
the  early  members  who  were  particularly 
active  in  establishing  and  maintaining  the 
Association,  the  names  of  Messrs.  William 
C.  Redfield,  Silas  Sage,  Joseph  William?, 
and  Martin  Ranney  may  be  mentioned. 

The  purpose,  organization  and  exercises 
of  the  association  were  similar  to  the  debat- 
ing societies  and  lyceums  which  were  very 
common  in  the  towns  and  viilHtresof  New 
England  till  within  a  recent  period.  In 
late  years  periodical  literature  has  met  the 
want  which  these  institutions  supplied. 

The  exercise  s  of  the  meeting  were  vari- 
ous. "  They  consisted  of  original  compo- 
sitions, recitation  of  dialogues  and  selected 
pieces,  reading  of  choice  extracts,  transla- 
tions from  the  classics  and  modern  lan- 
guages, reviews  of  literary  publications, 
the  exhibition  of  natural  curiosities  and 
articles  of  antiquarian  interest,  and  the  per- 
formance of  chemical  experiments." 

Lecturers  were  secured  at  various  times. 
Among  those  recorded  by  Mr.  Williams  are 


Dr.  Tully,  Rev.  Mr.  Crocker  and  Dr. 
Warner  of  this  place;  Dr.  Charles  Wood- 
wood,  Isaac  Webb,  Esq.,  and  Rev.  Arthur 
Granger  of  Middletown ;  Prof.  A.  W. 
Smith  and  Prof.  Johnston  of  Wesleyan 
University;  and  Rev.  D.  D.  Field,  D.D., 
of  Haddam.  The  subject  of  Dr.  Field's 
lecture  was  comprehensive,  "The  bui'd- 
ings,  furniture,  food,  dress,  occupation, 
amusements,  education  and  religion  ot  our 
Puritan  ancestors." 

Between  the  date  of  its  organization, 
1810,  and  1850,  the  date  of  Mr.  Williams' 
sketch,  802  weekly  and  monthly  meetings 
were  held. 

I  cannot  find  any  precise  date  as  to  the 
establishment  of  the  Academy.  Dr.  Field 
mentions  that  "a  number  of  gentlemen  in 
1782,  united  togetlx  r  in  an  effort  to  build 
a  new  school  house  in  the  centre,  and  to 
sustain  a  teacher  summer  and  winter.  It 
was  the  purpose  to  maintain  a  :-chool  of  a 
higher  grade  lhan  the  average  district 
schools  of  that  day.  This  building,  or  one 
that  replaced  it,  stood  on  the  green  south 
of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  in  the  rear, 
west,  of  the  old  meeting  hou>e — the  second 
church  edifice  of  the  Congregational  Socie- 
ty. This  school  never  had  any  fund.  It 
was  maintained  on  what  was  known  as  the 
subscription  plan.  Tfaose  patronizing  the 
school  paid  thc-ir  share  of  the  expense. 

The  teachers  employed  were  generally 
young  men  who  were  pursuing  their  studies, 
in  college,  in  preparing  for  college,  or  for 
one  of  the  liberal  professions.  Dr.  Hutch- 
jnson,  who  has  been  our  resident  physician 
for  more  than  twenty-five  ye*rs,  was  at  one 
time,  about  1820,  a  teacher  in  this  school. 
Of  those  who  have  been  teachers  since 
1830,  ten  became  ministers  of  the  gospel. 
One  of  these.  Rev.  I.  P.  Warren,  D.  D  ,  of 
Portland,  Maine,  writes  to  me  as  follows: 
'•I  was  engaged  to  teach  the  Academy 
,in  the  spring  of  1838,  being  then  in  my 
Senior  year  at  Yale.  I  continued  there  till 
the  fall  of  1839,  when  I  returned  to  New 


Haven  to  study  theology.  Rev.  Mr. 
Crocker  was  then  President  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  which  consisted  of  Dea.  Isaac 
Sajze,  Edward  Savage,  Esq.,  Dr.  Richard 
Warner,  Israel  Russell,  and  one  or  two 
others.  The  first  summer  the  school  num- 
bered about  thirty;  the  winter  following, 
nearly  twice  as  many.  An  assistant,  Miss 
Comstoek  of  Hartford,  w»s  employed  dur- 
ing part  of  that  term.  My  salary  was  at 
the  r*te  of  $500  per  annum,  and  was  paid 
by  an  assessment,  pro-rata,  upon  the  pupils 
in  attendance.  It  was  the  intent  of  the 
school  to  furnish  what  was  then  the  high- 
est grade  of  common  education,  and  also  to 
fit  young  men  for  college.  Of  those  who 
were  then  intending  to  enter  Yale  College, 
I  remember  Dr.  Geo.  S.  F.  Saviigc,  Josiah 
Savage,  Ebenez>  r  Beckwith,  and  Dr.  Rob- 
ert Hubbard.  A  considerable  number  of 
the  oiler  pupils  were  refined  y-ung  ladies 
and  gentlemen.  The  school  had  undoubt- 
edly done  much  to  elevate  the  tastes  «nd 
manners  of  the  youth,  and  indeed  the  gen- 
eral tone  of  society  in  the  place.  I  should 
add  too,  that  it  was  during  all  that  period 
most  constantly  under  the  influences  of  the 
Hoiv  Spirit.  The  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Crocker  was  an  eminently  faithful  nnd 
fruitful  <>"e,  and  few  years  passed  without 
revivals  of  greater  or  le?s  extent.  The 
Principals  of  ihe  Academy  were  ministers 
or  candidates  for  tlie  ministry,  and  few  pu- 
pils could  have  attende-1  the  school  even 
for  a  short  time  without  being  brought  into 
personal  contact  with  the  Truth  " 

The  old  building  on  the  green  gave  way 
to  the  brick  structure  formerly  called  "  The 
Academy,"  now  occupied  by  the  high 
school.  This  building  was  erected  in  1834, 
at  an  expense  of  $1,700.  No  private  or 
seUct  school  has  been  taught  for  several 
years.  It  is  now  rented  by  the  trustees  of 
the  property  to  the  town  for  the  purposes 
of  a  higM  school.  The  school  known  as 
hisjh  school  reaKy  unites  the  grade  of  both 
grammar  and  high  school  department,  and 


30 


has  been  efficiently  taught  for  saveral  years 
by  Kev.  Henry  S.  Stevens. 

TILLAGE   IMPROVEMENTS. 

Until  within  two  years  from  present 
year,  1879,  little  has  been  done  in  a  sys- 
tematic way  by  the  united  effort  of  citizens 
toward  the  improvement  and  adornment 
of  the  village.  But  there  have  been,  at 
different  times,  public  spirited  citizens  who 
Lave  shown  an  active  and  useful  interest. 
Of  these,  Benjamin  Wilcox  should  be  men- 
tioned. To  him  the  village  is  indebted,  so 
I  am  in  formed,  tor  the  fine  avenue  of 
niajik'S  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  park  just 
south  of  Prospect  Hill.  Dr.  Richard  War- 
ner, also,  showed  much  interest  in  public 
improvements.  It  was  through  his  interest 
chiefly  that  the  trees  were  planted  aloiig 
the  river  banks  beside  the  highway  leading 
to  MiddlelnwD.  By  the  efforts  of  citizens 
n«w  living,  considerable  had  been  done, 
before  there  was  any  organized  work,  in 
the  way  of  laying  sidewalks  and  planting 
trees  in  front  of  their  own  residences. 

In  the  spring  of  1877,  steps  were  lakcn 
toward  the  organization  of  a  Village  or 
Town  Improvement  Soeiety.  It  is  an  or- 
ganization of  citizens,  having  this  purpose, 
as  stated  iu  its  Constitution,  to-wit  :  "tu 
improve  and  ornament  in  every  practicable 
way,  the  public  grounds,  streets,  highways 
and  other  properly  of  the  town,  by  plant- 
ing trees,  fencing  and  beautifying  green*, 
bettering  the  roads,  attending  to  drainage 
and  snow  paths  and  doing  whatever  may 
render  the  town  more  pleasant  and  attrac- 
tive as  a  place  of  residence.  Also  to  en  - 
courage  individuals  to  do  for  their  own 
grounds  what  the  association  attempts  tor 
the  town  generally." 

The  first  officers  of  the  So<  iety  were 
elected  June  2d,  1877,  to  hold  office  till 
the  Annual  Meeting  to  be  Calkd  in  the 
the  autumn.  These  officers  were  as  fol- 
lows :  Wm.  E.  Hurlbert,  Pres.,  W.  R. 
McDonald,  Fust  vice-Pres.  ;  Russel  Fris- 
bie,  Second  yice-Pies.  ;  J.  H.  Treat,  Sec- 


retary ;  E.  S.  Coe,  Treasurer ;  and  a  board 
of  ten,  five  gentlemen  and  five  ladies,  who 
with  the  other  officers  constitute  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee. 

In  the  aututnu  of  1877,  about  three  hun- 
dred and  seventy  trees  were  planted.  Since 
the  society  began  its  work  more  than  five 
hundred  trees  have  been  planted.  Some- 
thing has  been  done  toward  improving 
sidewalks  and  roadways.  The  work  of 
improving  the  commons  is  about  to  be 
taken  up.  The  following  is  the  present 
board  of  officers  chosen  Nov.  24th,  1879. 

President,  W.  R.  McDonnld. 

First  Vice-President,  Russel  Frisbie. 

Second  Vice-President,  Dr   Hallock. 

Secretary,  R.  S.  Griswold. 

Treasurer,  E.  S.  Coe. 

Executive  Committee. — Geo.  Wilcot, 
M.  S.  Du.lley,  Capt.  Palmer,  Bulkley 
Edwards,  A.  N.  Fierson,  Mrs.  Geo.  Gil- 
larr,,  Mrs.  Wheelock,  Mrs.  M.  H.  Smith, 
Miss  Emma  Savage,  Mrs.  H.  N.  Stock- 
ing. 


To  the  list  or  those  who  took  part  in  the 
Revolutionaiy  war  the  name  of  William 
Stone  should  be  aJcled.  This  makes  the 
number,  so  tar  as  at  present  known,  thirty- 
eight. 

William  Stow  was  baptized  Sept.  29th, 
1754.  He  was  the  s>n  of  Jonathan  and 
Abiah  Stow.  He  had  two  older  brothers, 
Samuel  and  Jonathan  in  the  service.  I 
give  below  taro  letters,  copies  of  which 
have  been  kindly  furnished  me  by  Mr. 
Charles  C.  Savage  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  a 
grand  nephew  of  Mr.  Stow.  Mr.  Stow 
took  part  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and 
the  fir.£t  letter  was  written  soon  after  that 
engagement. 

I. 

ROXBUKY,  June  23,  A.  D.,  1775. 
DEAR  PARENTS. 

I  having  an  opportunity  to  write  to 
let  you  know  that  i  am  well  and  in  high 
spirits  as  I  hope  these  lines  will  find  yon 


31 


the  same.  All  those,  the  scurmage  which 
I  wrote  to  you  before  the  certainty  of 
which,  were  killed,  we  cannot  tell  as  yet, 
but  'tis  reported  there  is  about  1,700  of  the 
regulars,  killed  and  wounded.  There  was 
about  seventy  officers,  some  colonels.  On 
our  side  particulars  we  ha?e  not,  but  it  is 
supposed  about  sixty  or  seventy  killed  and 
taken  prisoners.  So  no  more  at  present.  I 
remam'your  loving  son  till  death. 

WILLIAM  STOW. 

Don't  forget   to  send   that  sealing  wax 
and  thread. 

IT. 

July  the  2(',  A,  D.,  1775. 
HONORED  FATHER  AND  MOTHER. 

I  take  this  opportunity  to  let  you 
know  that  through  the  kind  providence  of 
God  I  am  well  and  in  high  spirits  as  I  hope 
these  lines  will  find  you.  Saturday,  the 
1st  of  July,  we  got  fortified  upon  a  hill 
and  placed  two  twenty -four  pounders. 
They  fired  twice,  the  first  struck  about 
eight  rods  from  their  breastworks,  the  sec- 
ond went  over  among  their  tents.  Sunday 
morning  following  they  began  and  fired 
very  fast.  They  fired  and  sot  one  house 
afire.  They  also  threw  but  hurt  no  per- 
son. 

•N.  B. — The  particulars  of  the  captives 
the  regulars  took  we  have  had  letters  from 
them  that  they  have  thirty,  amongst  them 
one  Colonel.  O  that  we  had  known  how 
it  was  with  them,  tor  tis  supposed  that  all 
the  regulars  went  out  except  the  guard  and 
the  town  was  obliged  to  stand  sentries,  for 
this  we  had  from  Liberty  men  that  came 
out  that  night.  Some  of  the  town's  next 
neighbors  got  leave  to  come.  I  have  noth- 
ing to  write,  only  how  we  have  fresh  beef 
three  times  a  week  and  a  pint  of  mils  a  day 
and  butter,  also  chocolate  and  molasses. 
We  want  for  nothing.  I  have  a  liltle  more 
to  write  which  was  transacted  this  day. 
We  took  a  barge  with  eleven  men  in  it. 
First  we  fired  upon  them  and  killed  four, 
the  rest  surrendered  up  to  us. 


So  I  remain  your  loving  son  till  death 
shall  part  us. 

WILLIAM  STOW. 

P.  S. — I  have  received   the   thread  and 
sealing  wax  by  Edward  Eells,  Jr. 

The  following  is  the  summary  of  a 
thorough  canvass  of  the  town  made  in  Jan. 
and  Feb.,  1878,  by  a  Bible  distributor 
under  the  direction  of  the  Middletown  and 
Vicinity  Bible  Society,  and  the  superinten- 
dence of  Rev.  W.  H.  Gilbert,  agent  of  the 
Am.  Bible  Society. 
Whole  number  of  families, 
American, 
Foreign, 

Foreign  distributed  as  follows 
Irish, 
German, 
English, 
Various, 

To'al  population, 
Protestant  families, 
Koman  Catholic, 
Average  size  of  family 


373 
211 
162 

85 

51 

14 

12 

,617 

257 

116 


During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Edward 
Eells  the  currency  was  so  variable  that  his 
salary  was  for  a  time  voted  annually. 

It  varied  considerably  from  £60  ($300) 
to  £640  )$3,208),  and  his  fire  wood,  20 
cords.  After  1757  was  voted  in  silver, 
£60. 


The  following  entries  by  Rev.  Mr,  Eells 
in  Vol.  1,  page  8,  of  ch.  records,  shows 
time  of  beginning  the  year  in  olden  time 
and  the  period  of  change  to  the  present 
system. 

"My  Church  Records  begins  the  year 
with  March  without  double  dating  any." 

"By  an  act  of  parliament  regulating  of 
time,  appointing  the  year  to  begin  in  Jan. 
the  1st  day,  1  do*  in  "my  Church  Records 
begin  the  year  1752  with  the  first  day  of 
January  and  so  continue  it  in  conformity 
to  authority." 


In  regard  to  the  names  by  which  this 
town  has  been  known. 

Soon  after  the  first  settlement  of  Mid- 
dletown, the  section  north  of  Little  River 
began  to  be  called  "Upper  Houses,"  or 
vulgarly  "Upper  Housen."  When  it  was 
made  a  separate  parish,  it  was  designated 
in  the  official  documents  as  ''The  Second 
Ecclesiastical  Society  of  Middletown." 
Frequently  in  ihe  reports  of  the  Society  it 
is  called  "North  Society."  When  a  Post 
Office  was  established,  tins  part  of  the 
town  was  known  as  "Middletown,  Upper 
Houses."  This  continued  to  be  the  P.  U. 
address  until  about  1830,  when  it  was 
shortened  to  "Upper  Middletown."  In 
1851  this  parish  was  incorporated  as  a  sep- 
arate town  under  the  name  of  Cromwell. 

A  note  upon  the   evidences  that    slave 
holding  was  in   praetiee  a;n  >ng  the   early 
settlers. 

There  are  frequent  traces  in  the  records 
and  some  reliable  traditions  <>f  slavehold- 
ing. 

The  names  of  slaves  appear  in  the  earlier 
church  records,  showing  that  they  were 
baptized  and  received  into  full  communion. 

In  a  will  executed  by  Mr.  Joseph  Smith, 
son  of  Rev.  Joseph  Smith,  first  pastor  of 
this  church,  Sept.  20,  1768,  there  is  the 
following  bequest.  After  naming  his  five 
sons  and  giving  them  hi  real  and  peisonal 
estate,  he  says,  "I  give  them  equally  my 
negro-man  Cloip  or  Peter.  But  they  or 
either  of  them  sh^ll  not  sell  him  out  of  the 
family  unless  by  his  own  choice,  and  if  he 
should  live  to  want  support  more  than  he 
can  earn  by  his  own  labors,  he  shall  be 
comfortobly  provided  for  by  my  sons  at 
equal  expense,  if  they  don't  otherwise 
agree." 

Seats  in  the  gallery  of  the  church,  south 
side,  were  set  apart  for  the  use  of  slaves, 
and  the  south-west  corner  of  the  old  ceme- 
tery was  assigned  as  their  last  resting 
pla.-e. 


CROMWELL  CEMETERY. 

The  ground  first  used  as  a  cemetery  was 
in  close  proximity  to  the  meeting-house. 
It  was  a  plot  of  ground  just  south  of  the 
site  of  the  first  church  building  and  south- 
east of  the  present  residence  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Edwards.  This  lot  was  granted  by  the 
town  of  Middletown.  "  At  a  meeting  held 
Jan.  13.  1712-13,  the  town  (Middietown) 
granted  to  the  inhabitants  on  the  north  side 
of  the  river  (Little),  an  acre  of  land  be- 
tween Capt.  John  Savage's  and  Samuel 
Gibson's,  their  homesteads,  for  a  burying 
ground;  and  Capt.  Savage,  Samuel  Gibson 
and  John  Warner,  Jan.,  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  lay  it  out,  where  it  may  be 
most  convenient  and  least  prejudiced  to 
outlots."  This  grou nil  has  been  enlarged 
to  two  acres  and  was  the  sole  burying 
ground  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  until 
1855,  when  the  present  Cemetery  Associa- 
tion was  organized  and  the  cemetery  now 
occupied  —  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
north  of  the  Old  Ground — was  opened. 

During  the  present  year,  1879,  active 
measure?  have  been  taken  to  put  the  old 
cemetery,  which  had  been  much  neglected 
and  suffered  to  grow  up  with  weeds  and 
bushes,  into  order.  The  town,  to  which 
the  lot  belongs,  appropriated  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  dollars  to  be  expended  in 
improvements.  A  uood  work  h  .s  already 
been  done  in  clearing  the  surface  of  weeds, 
in  righting  up  the  monuir.ents,  and  wheie 
passible,  in  bringing  them  into  some  sort  ot 
regularity.  The  foot  stones  have  been  re- 
moved, and  ihe  mounds  above  the  graves 
leveled.  The  plan  is  to  secure  a  good 
smooth  surface,  well-turfed  and  free  from 
weeds.  It  is  proposed,  also,  by  private 
subscriptions,  to  decorate  the  lot  with  or- 
namental trees  and  shrubbery.  Thus  what 
has  lona  been  a  disfigurement  and  a  dis- 
grace bids  fair  to  become  an  attractive  and 
a  pleasing  feature  in  our  landscape. 

One  <  f  the  first  inl  abitants  of  this  place 
— tradition  says  the  first — to  find  a  resting 


33 


place  in  this  cemetery,  was  Thomas  Ran- 
ney.  His  monument,  a  brownstone  slab, 
has  evidently  crumbled  away  considerably. 
It  is  only  about  eighteen  inches  high.  The 
following  inscription  is  deciphered  with 
difficulty : 
No.  1. 

Here  Lies 

The  Body  Of 

Thomas  Ranney, 

SEMR.  Lived  97  yep.rs.     Died  June 

21st,  1713. 

I  have  copied  the  following  inscriptions 
from  other  monuments: 

The  tablet  in  the  table  monument  of 
Rev.  Joseph'Smith,  the  first  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church — is  lost.  At  a  busi- 
ness meeting  of  the  Congregational  church 
held  in  November,  1879,  it  was  voted  to 
renew  the  tablet  in  Rev.  Mr.  Smith's  mon- 
ument. The  renewed  inscription  is  as  fol- 
lows : 

Rev.  Joseph  Smith,  first  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church,  died  Sept.  8,  1736, 
J2  62. 

Inscription  renewed  1880. 

The  monument  of  his  widow  which  stands 
beside  the  table  monument,  has  this  inscrip- 
tion : 

No.  2. 

Here  lies  interred  the  remains  of  Mrs. 
Esther  Smith,  the  Relict  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Joseph  Smith,  who  departed  this  life,  May 
ye  30th,  A.  D.,  1760.  In  the  89th  year  of 
her  age. 
No.  3. 

This  monument  is  sacred  to  the  memory 
of  the  Rev.  Edward  Eells,  Pastor  of  the 
Second  Church  of  Christ  in  Middletown, 
•who  departed  this  life  Oct.  ye  12th,  A.  D., 
1776,  J2  64,  and  in  the  39th  year  of  his 
ministry. 

Remember  those  who  have  spoken  unto 
you  the  word  of  God. 


No.  4. 

In  Memory  of  the 

Revd. 

Joshua  L.  Williams 

Pastor  of  the  2d  church 

in  Middletown, 

who  died 
Dec.  29,  1832, 
in  the  48th  year  ot  his  age, 
and  the  24th  of  his  ministry. 
Faithful,  beloved  and  much  lamented  he 
departed  in  peace. 

Christ  in  him  was  the  hope  of  Glory. 
Beside  Vhe  grave  of  Mr.  Williams  stand 
two  monuments  evidently  marking  the 
graves  of  his  father  and  mother,  who  out- 
lived him.  They  are  examples  of  brevity 
as  regard  the  inscriptions  upon  them. 

No.  5. 

Rev.  Joshua  Williams 

died 
Feb.  8,  1836. 

^E  75. 

No.  6. 

Mary  Williams 
died  May  16,  1838. 

M  77. 
No.  7. 

Rev.  Zebulon  Crocker  was  born  in  Wil- 
lington,  March  8,  1802.  Graduated  at 
Yale  College,  1827.  Ordained  May  2, 
1833.  Died  Nov.  14,  1847,  M  45. 

Friends  who  knew  his  worth  have  erect- 
ed this  stone. 

ND.  8. 

Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Amos  Sage,  son 
ot  Captain  Nathan  and  Mrs.  Huldah  Sage, 
who  died  at  Port-au-Prince,  Jan.  25,  1791, 
in  the  18th  year  of  bis  age.  Much  lament- 
ed by  his  Father.  Mother,  Sister,  and 
friends,  he  bid  fair  to  make  the  honest 
man. 

No.  9. 

"  Here  lies  interred  the  body  of  John 
Sage,  who  departed  this  life  Jan.  22,  A. 
D.,  1751.  la  the  83d  year  of  his  age. 


34 


He  left  a  virtuous  and  sorrowful  widow, 
with  whom  he  lived  57  years  aud  had  fif- 
teen children,  twelve  of  whom  married  and 
increased  ye  family  by  repeated  marriages 
to  the  number  of  twenty-nine,  of  whom 
there  are  fifteen  alive.  He  had  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  grand-children,  one  hun- 
dred and  five  of  them  now  living,  forty 
great-grand-children,  thirty  seven  of  them 
now  living,  which  makes  the  numerous  off- 
spring one  hundred  and  eighty- nine." 

This  is  upon  a  slate  tablet  set  in  a  free- 
stone table  monument.  Upon  a  second 
tablet  of  slate  in  the  same  stone  is  the  fol- 
lowing inscription  : 

"Here  lies  the  body  of  Mrs.  Hannah 
Sage,  once  the  virtuous  consort  of  Mr.  John 
Sage,  who  both  are  covered  with  this  stone, 
and  l here  has  been  added  to  the  numerous 
offspring  mentioned  above,  forty-four  by 
births  and  marriage*,  which  makes  the 
whole  two  hundred  and  thirty-three.  She 
fell  asleep  September  the  28,  1783.  In  the 
85th  year  of  her  age. " 

I  am  told  that  none  of  the  descc  ndants  of 
John  Sase  and  his  "  numerous  offspring  " 
reside  in  town.  Also  that  there  are  five 
hundred  and  five  families  descended  from 
him  scatter3d  through  thirty-four  states 
and  four  territories. 

PHYSICIANS  IN  CROMWELL. 

Aaron  Roberts;  began  1857;  moved  to 
.Berlin  to  live  with  a  son  in  1783;  died 
1792,  aged  62.  He  was  a  surgeon  in  the 
Revolution. 

Solomon  Savage;  in  practice  from  1762 
to  his  death  Jan  29,  1783,  aged  43. 

Daniel  Lee;  1784  1787;  moved  to  New 
London. 

Gideon  Noble;  1781-1802;  moved  to 
South  Glastonbnry;  died  1807. 

Titus  Morgan;  1802  to  Nov.  11,  1811, 
when  he  died  at  35  years  of  age. 

William  M.  Hand;  1812-1816;  moved 
to  Worthinglon  in  Berlin. 

William  Tulley;  practiced   for  a  short 


time  about  1810,  when  he  moved  to  Mid- 
dletown. 

David  B.  Brooks;  commenced  practice 
here  in  1819;  remained  one  year  and  re- 
moved to  New  York,  where  he  died  in  1830 
aged  32. 

Sylvester  Buckley;  1821-1831;  removed 
to  Worthington. 

Richard  Warner;  1830-1853;  died  Sept. 
29,  1853. 

Ira  Hutchinson;  1853  to  present  time. 

R.  M.  Griswold;  1875-6;  removed  to 
Plainville. 

J.  H.  Trent;  1876-7;  removed  to  Ter- 
ryville. 

James  Conland;  1879. 


In  the  brief  account  of  William  C.  Red- 
field,  on  page  26,  I  think  the  fact  of  his 
discovering  the  correct  theory  of  storms  is 
not  sufficiently  emphasized.  It  is  no  more 
than  justice  to  Mr.  Redfield's  incisive  and 
inventive  mind  to  claim  for  him  the  credit 
of  giving  the  world  the  true  solution  to  the 
meteorlogical  phenomena  of  our  earth.  If 
we  know  the  direction  and  force  of  a  wind 
storm  when  it  begins,  in  about  eighty-five 
or  ninety  times  out  of  a  hundred,  we  can 
map  out,  beforehand,  the  track  of  the 
storm  and  give  a  trustworthy  announce- 
ment of  its  intensity.  Mr.  Redfield's  sim- 
ple announcement  "  every  storm  is  a  gieat 
whirlwind,"  gives  the  key  to  meteorology. 
It  places  Redfifld  among  the  world's  great 
discoverers.  As  early  as  1831,  in  an  arti- 
cle published  in  the  American  Journal  of 
Commerce,  Vol.  20th,  he  predicts  the  prac- 
tical results,  of  which  we  are  now  reaping 
the  benefits.  He  says:  ''In  the  early 
stages,  or  indications  of  storms  upon  our 
coast,  it  would  seem  that  a  pretty  correct 
estimate  may  be  formed  of  the  bearing, 
and  probable  course  of  the  heart  of  the 
storm.''1  The  italics  are  Mr.  Redfield's. 
We  have  adopted  a  different  term  and  say 
"storm  centre."  "This  shows,"  says 
Mr.  Redfield  again,  "  the  importance  of 


35 


particulars  in  marine  reports,  specifying 
the  latitude  and  longitude,  date,  time  of 
commencement,  direction,  duration, 
and  subsequent  changes  of  such  storms 
as  may  exhibit  either  extraordinary  vio- 
lence, or  indications  of  such  violence  in 
their  immediate  vicinity."  Mr.  Redfield 
is  worthy  of  lasting  memory,  as  much  so 
as  Franklin  the  discoverer  of  electricity,  or 
Wells  the  discoverer  of  anesthetics.  This 
discovery  was  the  first  step  which  led  on 
to  our  present  system  of  weather  indica- 
tions among  the  first  items  of  news  which 
we  look  for  every  morning  in  our  daily 
newspapers. 

ADDITIONAL  GRADUATES. 

Stilltnan  K.  Wightman.  A  graduate  of 
Yale  in  the  class  of  1824.  He  studied  law, 
practiced  for  a  time  in  the  Courts  of  Mid- 
dlesex County,  then  moved  to  New  York. 
He  has  been  and  still  is  a  successful  prac- 
titioner. 

Robert  Paddock.  A  graduate  of  Union. 
Studied  medicine  and  moved  South  to  Ken- 
tucky, if  I  am  rightly  informed. 

Benjamin  Wilcox.  Williams,  class  of 
1841.  He  was  a  successful  teacher  in  the 
West. 

Edwin  Halsey  Cole.  A  graduate  of 
Wesleyan  in  185L  He  WHS  born  in  Chat- 
ham in  1827.  His  father  moved  to  this 
town  during  Edwin's  boyhood.  After  grad- 
uation Mr.  Cole  taught  school  in  Auienia, 
New  York;  Collinsville  and  Bristol  this 
State.  Owing  to  failure  of  health  in  1856, 
he  resigned  his  position  as  Principal  ot  the 
High  School  in  Bristol  and  removed  to  his 
father's  in  West  Cromwell,  where  he  died 
July  16,  1859. 

ERRATA. 


the  additions  attributed  to  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Clark,  it  should  he  stated  that 
most  ot  the  additions  by  profession  were 
due  to  a  special  season  of  revival  interest 
under  the  lead  of  Rev.  Erastus  Colton  and 
were  received  into  membership  by  him  he- 
fore  Mr.  Clark  was  installed  as  pastor.  Mr- 
Colton  was  here  only  a  short  time  and  hard- 
ly held  the  relation  of  pastor  or  acting  pas- 
tor. He  labored  as  an  evangelist.  This  is 
according  to  the  recollections  of  those  ac- 
quainted with  all  the  circumptances. 

On  page  10,  second  column,  the  summa- 
ry of  additions  during  the  pastorates  of 
Rev.  Messrs.  Hall  and  Ladd  should  read  as 
follows: 

w.  K.  HALL'S  PASTORATE. 

1864-1865.     1  year. 

By  Profession,  11 

"  Letter,  1 


Total, 
Average,  12. 

H.  o.  LADD'S  PASTORATE. 

1865-1867.     2  years. 
By  Profession, 
"    Letter, 


12 


17 

10 

27 


Total, 
Average,  13. 

On  page  16,  first  column,  for  William  B. 
Stocking,  read  William  R.  On  same  page 
and  column,  for  G.  S.  T.  Savage,  read  G. 
S.  F.  On  same  page,  second  column,  in 
the  clause  4<  the  house  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  Stocking  on  Freestone  street,''  for 
Stocking  read  Stickncy 

On  page  18,  second  column  for  "Birch 
School,"  used  twice,  read  '•''Brick.'1'' 

On  page  27,  first  column,  in  clause 
•'  Miss  Jerusha  E.  Gilbert  of  Colchester," 


On  page  10,  second  column,  in  regard  to      for  Colchester  read  Colebrook. 


36 


Since  the  last  page  was  printed  the  fol- 
lowing additional  information  has  been  re- 
ceived. 

Jonathan  Roberts  Paddock  was  born 
Nov.  19,  1803.  He  prepared  for  college 
with  Rev.  Joshua  L.  Williams,  of  this 
place,  and  was  graduated  in  Union  College, 
Schenectady,  N.  Y.  Afcer  graduation,  he 
taught  school  for  a  time;  was  a  Professor 
in  Wonhington  College,  Ohio.  Later  he 
studied  medicine  and  practiced  in  Ohio  and 


Kentucky.  He  died  June  Tin,  1878. 
(This  name  should  take  the  place  of  Rob- 
ert Paddock. ) 

On  page' 30,  first  column,  for  J.  H.  Treat 
Secretary,  read  J.  H.  Trent. 

On  page  30,  second  column,  for  William 
Stone,  read  William  Stow. 

On  page  31,  first  column,  at  the  end  of 
the  first  sentence  in  Mr.  Stow's  first  letter 
omit  the  words,  "the  same." 


A    000019755 


